PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will pursue legal and diplomatic means to bring fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co home to the Philippines, Malacañang said Thursday.
The statement was issued after Marcos received confirmation from Chargé d’ Affaires of Czech Republic Eva Tenzin that Co had indeed been detained by Czech authorities due to invalid travel documents, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.
“The president reaffirmed that the government will exhaust all legal and diplomatic means to bring back fugitive Zaldy Co back to the Philippines so he can face the graft and malversation cases filed against him here in the Philippines," she added.
Castro said Marcos has expressed the government’s readiness to fast-track extradition agreements and strengthen law enforcement cooperation mechanisms with concerned countries to expedite Co’s return.
Marcos on Wednesday summoned Tenzin and French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel to seek clarification on Co’s case.
While he stressed that other countries should not become safe havens for individuals facing charges, the president reaffirmed the Philippines’ strong relations with both the Czech Republic and France, anchored on democratic values and respect for the rule of law.
Co, who is facing criminal charges as one of the central figures in the public works corruption scandal, is in France seeking asylum on grounds of political persecution.
