The government has cancelled the passport of former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said as he ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine National Police to track the fugitive ex-lawmaker and bring him back to the Philippines.
“I have already directed the Department of Foreign Affairs, even the PNP, to coordinate with our embassies in various countries to ensure that the person we are pursuing cannot hide there in their country,” the President said in a video statement released Wednesday.
“And if he happens to go there, he will be reported to us so that we can bring him back to the Philippines,” he added.
In an online press conference, DFA Secretary Theresa Lazaro said they moved to enforce the Sandiganbayan’s December 10 resolution and President Marcos’ directive.
“In accordance with the resolution of the Sandiganbayan today, the 10th of December 2025, and the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Department of Foreign Affairs has cancelled the passport of former Ako Bikol Partylist Representative Elizaldy Salcedo Co,” Lazaro told reporters.
At the same time, President Marcos welcomed the surrender of contractor Sarah Discaya to the National Bureau of Investigation pending the formal issuance of her arrest warrant.
Mr. Marcos described the development as a sign of progress in the government’s efforts to hold accountable those involved in substandard or even “ghost” flood-control projects.
He said his administration is working to build “airtight cases” to ensure that charges will not be dismissed on technicalities, and pledged to recover public funds allegedly lost to the scam.
Arrest warrants were issued against Co and other individuals, including contractors and former Public Works officials, over their alleged link to anomalous flood-control projects in Oriental Mindoro.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla earlier asked overseas Filipinos to take a photo of Co and post it online to help the government in its efforts to bring him home.
Remulla said Co is believed to be hiding in Portugal, which does not have an extradition treaty with the Philippines.
“We are appealing to Filipinos worldwide – if you see Zaldy Co, take a photo of him and post it online so we can have an idea where he is,” he said.
He said Co is suspected to be holding a Portuguese passport.
“We believe he is in Europe, suspected to be in Portugal. We believe he is a holder of two passports – not only a visa but two passports. We will have a bit of a complication because of that,” Remulla said.
Mr. Marcos also earlier ordered transport and aviation officials to work with their counterparts in Malaysia and Singapore to locate aircraft allegedly linked to Co.
He said the Department of Transportation and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines have been instructed to verify reports that helicopters and a private jet registered under Misibis Aviation & Development Corp. were flown out of the country and are being kept abroad.
“You cannot steal from the Filipino people and expect to hide or fly away on your private jets,” the President said.
“You may have the money to run, but you cannot outrun the Republic of the Philippines,” he added.
As this developed, the Bureau of Customs said it is tracking and reviewing the records of the sports car featured in the videos of Co.
“The Commissioner has already directed our Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group to look into the matter… The Bureau of Customs is always ready to provide information to assist in any investigation,” BOC spokesperson Chris Bendijo said in a television interview.
In his videos, Co said he delivered money in November 2024, showing a photo of several bags inside a garage where a gray Maserati was also visible.
However, a media report revealed that the conduction sticker for the luxury vehicle indicated it had only been sold to an automobile company in December 2024, raising questions about the timeline of Co’s claims.
