Marcos eyeing extradition treaty with Portugal to arrest Zaldy Co —DILG

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. wants to have an extradition treaty with Portugal for the arrest of former lawmaker Zaldy Co, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Tuesday.

Remulla, in a Palace press briefing, said that Marcos already directed the ''formal application'' of this extradition treaty. 

''Nagbigay ng instruction si President na formally mag-apply na kami ng extradition treaty sa kanila kahit wala pang extradition treaties between the two countries. Pero through the Interpol, magrerequest na kami ng repatriation ni Zaldy Co kung nasa Portugal talaga siya,'' Remulla said. 

(The President instructed us to formally apply for an extradition treaty with Portugal as there's no extradition treaty yet between the two countries. Through Interpol, we will request the repatriation of Zaldy Co if he's really in Portugal.) 

Co is believed to be in Portugal amid the ongoing arrest of individuals charged over the flood control mess in Oriental Mindoro.

Co is suspected to hold a Portuguese passport, which was "acquired so many years ago." 

Last year, Marcos announced that warrants of arrest have been issued against Co and 15 others, including officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways and directors of Sunwest Corp., in connection with the flood control projects controversy.

This came after the Office of the Ombudsman filed with the Sandiganbayan corruption and malversation of public funds charges against Co and others on November 18. 

The charges were in connection with the alleged anomalous P289 million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.

Co has yet to return to the country amid the ongoing investigation into budget insertions and flood control projects. He left the Philippines for medical reasons. 

The former Ako Bicol party-list representative has since denied the accusation that he was involved in corrupt practices. 

The Sandiganbayan earlier declared Co as a "fugitive from justice" and ordered the cancellation of his Philippine passport by the Department of Foreign Affairs. —AOL, GMA Integrated News