Ombudsman's France Trip Aims to Facilitate Return of Former Lawmaker, Senator

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced his intention to travel to France to prepare for the return of former lawmaker Zaldy Co and Sen. Loren Legarda, who are facing corruption charges. Both individuals are reportedly staying in France, with Co believed to have applied for asylum. Remulla clarified that the trip is a preliminary step aimed at laying the groundwork for their return in compliance with European Union rules, emphasizing that it does not guarantee immediate extradition. Information exchange with French authorities will be crucial, especially given the Schengen Area's border-free travel which allows easy movement between member states. "There will be an exchange of information first," Remulla stated in a radio interview. He further elaborated that the trip is not about capturing Co or Legarda but about "preparing… preparing for the different questions you want to ask (authorities)." Co, who previously chaired the House committee on appropriations, is charged with graft and malversation for his alleged role in an irregular flood control project worth P299.4 million in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. Earlier this year, Justice Secretary Fredrick Vida initiated efforts to expedite Co's return after President Marcos Jr. announced Co had been briefly detained at the Germany-Czech Republic border. However, Co was released by Czech authorities as no international arrest warrant or red notice from Interpol was in place. He is now believed to be in France. On the other hand, Sen. Legarda and her son, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, left the country on August 2 for Hong Kong, with France as their final destination. This departure occurred days after the Office of the Ombudsman announced an investigation into plunder and graft complaints against them concerning "ghost electricity" projects, which allegedly created over P10.4 billion in unpaid financial obligations for the government. Remulla intends to meet with the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to raise possible money laundering issues and with EU officials. He wants to convey to EU representatives that the bloc should not be a haven for money laundering, citing rumors about the acquisition of properties by public officials. He added that the absence of an extradition treaty between the Philippines and France should not deter the government from exhausting legal means to bring Co or Legarda home. Legarda's spokesperson, lawyer Tony La Viña, criticized the investigation into the plunder and graft complaint against her and her son as a "waste of prosecution resources." He particularly addressed concerns regarding Leviste's solar companies, stating that "no government money [was] used, no government money was stolen." La Viña explained that service contracts and franchises acquired by Leviste are funded by private capital, not government funds, and that Leviste even paid the associated fines. He refuted claims of P24 billion or P10 billion in government liabilities related to these contracts, asserting that "not a single document asking him to pay for that" exists. La Viña also maintained that Legarda did not assist her son in securing a solar franchise when she headed the Senate committee on finance, noting that the votes were unanimous. He described the assumption that a senator would use their power for their son's business interests as "absurd." While acknowledging that 90 percent of Leviste's renewable energy initiatives failed, La Viña pointed out that one of his projects was among the "most successful renewable energy project[s]" of the administration. He concluded by reiterating that this is the nature of the business and that Senator Legarda had no involvement in these matters. Information Source: Inquirer NewsInfo