Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla disclosed on Wednesday that former Ako Bicol party-list congressman Zaldy Co has conveyed an interest in opening lines of communication with the government, though the information remains unverified.
In a One News repoort, Remulla said the approach was relayed through a group of priests who allegedly reached out to his brother, Jesus Crispin Remulla. He described the information as preliminary and said he does not personally know the priests involved.
When asked whether the move signaled a possible surrender, Remulla responded that it did not. “Not exactly, he wants to connect, he wants a dialogue with us but of course that is not verified,” he said, adding that any attempt to influence the process through improper means would not be entertained.
Acting Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida echoed that position, saying expressions of willingness to cooperate would not affect the handling of complaints filed against Co. “Our prosecutors evaluate evidence submitted to them. I don’t think ‘feelers’ will have any effect,” he said.
Authorities believe Co is currently in Portugal after being linked to alleged irregularities involving flood control projects. Remulla noted that the absence of an extradition treaty between the Philippines and Portugal has prompted officials to examine alternative legal avenues.
During an interview on “Storycon” aired on One News, Senator Panfilo Lacson said the Senate is considering the issuance of a legislative warrant that could be coursed through the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), of which both countries are members. “One route that we are considering now is that if we issue him a legislative warrant, it can be coursed through the IPU,” Lacson said, adding that such a process might be used to seek Co’s deportation in light of an existing red notice.
It remains uncertain whether a legislative warrant has ever resulted in deportation through the IPU, as no clear precedent has been cited by officials.
Separately, the Department of Justice confirmed that former Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara, who has been identified as a state witness in the flood control probe, has been formally placed under the government’s witness protection program. Alcantara was transferred from Senate custody on Wednesday under heavy security and received by DOJ officials, with Vida declining to disclose further details due to confidentiality requirements.
