In a major breakthrough in one of the Philippines’ most high-profile corruption probes, Philippine authorities have confirmed the arrest of former legislator Zaldy Co, a central suspect in a multi-billion dollar flood control project scandal, in the Czech Republic.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced Thursday that local law enforcement in Prague detained Co shortly after he entered the country with invalid documentation. The former House of Representatives member, who held his seat from 2019 until stepping down last September, had been a fugitive outside the Philippines since July 2025, according to local Philippine media reports. Last year, Philippine officials revoked his passport and issued a red notice through Interpol to aid in his capture.
Co stands accused of accepting illegal kickbacks from what investigators have labeled “ghost” flood control infrastructure projects — non-existent or shoddily completed works that have drained an estimated $2 billion from the national economy. The scandal burst into public view last year, when severe flooding across the archipelago upended millions of lives, triggering widespread public anger and massive anti-corruption protests across the country, as residents questioned why government flood control investments had failed to protect communities.
The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in Southeast Asia, facing an average of 20 tropical storms and typhoons annually that bring regular, deadly flood events. In November 2025 alone, Typhoon Kalmaegi triggered catastrophic flooding across entire towns on the central island of Cebu, leaving at least 85 people dead. The failure of flood protection systems during that event amplified public calls for accountability for the decades of siphoned public funds meant for infrastructure resilience.
The arrest comes with a key legal hurdle: the Philippines and the Czech Republic do not share a formal extradition treaty, leaving Co’s repatriation uncertain for the moment. Despite that challenge, President Marcos emphasized that Philippine officials are maintaining close, ongoing coordination with the Czech government to navigate all required legal processes and secure Co’s return to Manila as quickly as possible.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla told reporters in a Friday radio interview that he remains optimistic, projecting Co could be back in Philippine custody within one to three months.
Co is not the only high-profile figure tied to the sprawling scandal. Other implicated individuals include the sitting Speaker of the House of Representatives, who has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing, and a former Senate president who was ousted from his leadership post after it was revealed that a infrastructure contractor had made large donations to his election campaign shortly before winning a major government flood control contract.