'Surprised' SILG Remulla: Zaldy Co may have slipped through Lisbon to reach Sweden

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Thursday said he was "surprised" by reports that former lawmaker Zaldy Co, who is facing an arrest warrant, personally appeared in Sweden.

This, after Remulla last week said Co is believed to be staying inside a gated community in Lisbon, Portugal.

“Nagulat nga kami. Kasi naman yung lugar nila gated community, madali tumakas rin doon eh kung magtatago ka sa kotse,” Remulla told GMA Network’s Unang Hirit.

(We were surprised. Because their place is a gated community, it's easy to escape there if you hide in the car.)

Remulla noted that European Union (EU) countries are "borderless" so it would be easy for Co to travel.

“So kung nakarating man siya sa Sweden, hindi ko pa nakikita kasi lahat yun kung verified yung apostille niya, sigurado yan by land, lumakbay siya papuntang Stockholm. This is probably a two-day drive kung pupunta siya roon o a day and a half by train,” he said.

(So if he even made it to Sweden, I haven't seen it yet if his apostille is verified. It's definitely by land; he traveled to Stockholm. This is probably a two-day drive if he goes there or a day and a half by train.)

Apostille

In an exclusive report by GMA Integrated News' Joseph Morong on Wednesday, Co has emerged in Stockholm, Sweden at least on January 15 based on an apostille attached to a petition filed with the Supreme Court. 

An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document.

GMA Integrated News exclusively obtained a copy of the certiorari petition against Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla filed on January 25, showing the apostille that Co personally signed the petition before a notary public in the municipality of Nacka in Stockholm Sweden on January 15. 

Remulla said he cannot blame intelligence operatives for missing this information, as this can be considered a “Herculean task” considering their small number as well as Co’s huge resources.

“But nevertheless, ang Pangulo na nagsabi na gagawa na siya ng hakbang para kausapin ang Pangulo ng Portugal para ma-resolba na ito,” Remulla said.

(But nevertheless, the President said that he would take steps to talk to the President of Portugal to resolve this.)

Amid reports that Co has sent feelers, Remulla said that there would be no negotiations unless the lawmaker accused in flood control fund corruption returns $1 billion to the government.

“No deal. Isuli mo muna ang pera before we talk,” Remulla said.

(No deal. Give me the money back before we talk.)

Arrest warrants have been issued against Co and others, including officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and directors of Sunwest Corp., over alleged irregularities in flood control projects.

On November 18, 2025, the Ombudsman filed corruption and malversation of public funds charges against Co and others with the Sandiganbayan.

The charges are linked to an alleged P289 million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.

Co has denied the allegations. —VAL, GMA Integrated News