Philippines Renews Push for Zaldy Co Red Notice, Cites Known Address

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine authorities already know Zaldy Co's address abroad, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said, as the government renews efforts to secure an Interpol Red Notice and bring the fugitive former lawmaker back to the Philippines. Remulla said he will travel to Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France, while Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla will separately coordinate with French authorities in Paris following the issuance of a new plunder warrant against Co. "We already have his address. We know where he is. We know his residence. We will press them to issue the Red Notice," Remulla said in Filipino in an interview with One News' "Storycon" on Tuesday, September 8. Jonvic did not publicly disclose Co's current location. At a separate briefing Tuesday, the Interior secretary said the Ombudsman would handle diplomatic coordination in Paris while he dealt directly with Interpol, whose headquarters is in Lyon. "Ombudsman Boying announced yesterday that he's going to Paris also to talk with authorities. I will work with the Interpol, he will work on diplomatic efforts to get Zaldy Co," Jonvic said. The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Monday issued arrest warrants against Co, former House speaker Martin Romualdez, Romualdez aide Joselyn Tragua Serenio and businessman Felicito Cristobal Guevarra after finding probable cause in the P7.44-billion plunder case filed by the Office of the Ombudsman. Prosecutors accuse the four of receiving at least P7.44 billion in kickbacks and other financial benefits from contractors and parties with interests in flood-control, infrastructure and other government projects from 2022 to 2025. Co also faces separate graft and malversation cases involving alleged anomalies in flood-control projects in Oriental Mindoro and Bulacan. The Sandiganbayan declared Co a fugitive from justice in December 2025 after he remained abroad despite pending cases and warrants against him. Philippine authorities have been trying for months to obtain a Red Notice against Co. The government said in April that it had submitted additional documents requested by the Interpol General Secretariat after an earlier application failed to result in the issuance of an alert. A Red Notice is a request to police worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a wanted person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action. It is not an international arrest warrant, and authorities in the country where the subject is found decide whether an arrest can be made under their own laws. Jonvic expressed confidence that the latest arrest warrant and the government's renewed efforts could move the request forward. "This time, I've worked the back channels. I've worked all channels ready. And I'm pretty confident that we'll reach the point where we'll get him," he said in mixed Filipino and English. Even if Co is located, Jonvic said Philippine officials cannot arrest him themselves. "It is only the host country that can arrest him. The Philippines cannot do it." Any arrest abroad would still be subject to the laws and procedures of the country where Co is located, followed by the legal process needed for his return to the Philippines. Jonvic did not disclose further details about the planned trip to France.