An immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) has been issued against Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co as authorities step up efforts to trace his whereabouts amid the widening probe into a flood-control scandal.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed the development on Thursday, saying a collaborative inter-agency effort is underway to determine Co’s location.
“We’re tracking him. And many people are helping and agencies,” said Remulla.
He added that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has access to Co’s flight details and boarding pass, which indicate that the lawmaker may be in Spain. However, Remulla did not elaborate on Co’s supposed presence there.
The Justice Secretary also declined to specify when the ILBO was issued or which office initiated the request, saying it “comes naturally in our work” when a person is mentioned in an ongoing investigation.
An ILBO directs the Bureau of Immigration to monitor a person’s attempts to leave the country. Unlike a court-issued hold departure order, it does not bar international travel outright.
The pursuit of Co comes as the government intensifies its investigation into alleged irregularities in public works projects. The lawmaker has been linked to the scandal through testimonies and is facing a formal complaint for alleged betrayal of public trust.