The Department of Justice (DOJ) has admitted that authorities are uncertain whether former congressman Zaldy Co remains in the Czech Republic, according to Justice Secretary Frederick Vida.
In an interview, Vida said there remains a possibility that Co is no longer in the European country or may still be within the jurisdiction of Czech authorities.
At present, the DOJ does not have confirmed information about Co’s exact location, prompting officials to consider requesting a red notice from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
Vida said the red notice could help authorities monitor and potentially arrest the former lawmaker if his whereabouts are confirmed.
The development follows an earlier announcement by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who posted on his Facebook page that Co had been caught and detained in Prague after crossing into the Czech Republic without proper documentation.
In the post, Marcos said that Co was already in the custody of Czech authorities following his arrival in the country.
However, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro later clarified that the president did not use the term “arrested” when referring to Co’s situation in the earlier statement.
The DOJ’s acknowledgment of uncertainty over Co’s whereabouts has raised questions about his current status despite the earlier report of his detention in Prague.
Officials have not provided further details on Co’s legal status or whether Czech authorities continue to hold him.
The DOJ said that securing a red notice remains one of the available measures to assist international authorities in locating and monitoring the former lawmaker while investigations continue.
