‘Disappointed’ Marcos meets French, Czech envoys as PH tracks Zaldy Co down

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, April 29, met with the envoys of France and the Czech Republic and “expressed disappointment at the whole situation with Zaldy Co,” Malacañang said in a release.

“He expressed disappointment at the whole situation with Zaldy Co and that, despite the Philippines’ earnest efforts, Zaldy Co remains at large in Europe. He requested for further information as to what transpired and why Zaldy Co was released from custody by the Czech authorities,” said Malacañang in a release to media.

The Palace released photos of Marcos meeting separately with French Ambassador Marie Fontanele and the Czech Republic’s Chargé d’Affaires in Manila, Eva Tenzin.

“Nonetheless, the President is confident of the strength of our bilateral relations with France and the Czech Republic that is grounded on shared values, including respect for the rule of law. Moving forward, he remains hopeful of future police, legal, and judicial cooperation, so that once and for all, Zaldy Co is brought back to [the Philippines] to face justice,” said Malacañang.

Co, who was once Marcos’ ally in the House, is accused of corruption in relation to the flood control corruption scandal. The former appropriations chair has been at the center of the scandal since it broke out in June 2025, during Marcos’ State of the Nation Address. Around the same time, Co slipped out of the Philippines, then resigned from his congressional post.

He has since turned against Marcos, alleging that the President and his relatives in government, including his cousin, the former House speaker Martin Romualdez, and son, Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, had also meddled in the national budget.

Marcos and his administration have been tracking Co down. In mid-April, Marcos announced that Co had been turned away from Germany and brought back to the Czech Republic because he was caught “without proper documentation.” He has since been released from Czechia’s custody and has reportedly sought asylum in France, Malacañang itself announced.

Two of Co’s passports — his regular passport and his diplomatic passport — have since been canceled by the Department of Foreign Affairs, it confirmed in a statement on April 28. The DFA mentioned — but did not go into detail — that Co had an earlier passport that expired in 2022. Rappler’s sources have indicated that the former lawmaker once held a “Golden” visa or a European visa acquired through large investments. – Rappler.com