Zaldy Co appeared before notary in Sweden, SC petition shows

Former House appropriations committee chairperson Zaldy Co, who is facing an arrest warrant from the Sandiganbayan, 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,” information from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

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. 

“I, the undersigned Beatrice Gustaffson, appointed notary public by the Stockholm County Administrative Board, hereby certify that Elizaldy Co, born 1970-12-08… has appeared before me today,” the apostille read.

Gustaffson added that she was “able to verify the identity of the client, and that the signature was performed by the client of their own free will.” 

Co had signed a verification and certification of non-forum shopping attached to his petition before the Supreme Court. 

This information on his location, at least on January 15, runs counter to the claim of Interior Secretary  Jonvic Remulla on January 22 that the government had spotted Co living in an exclusive enclave from which has not gone out in Lisbon, Portugal. 

Co is facing an arrest warrant before the Sandiganbayan for cases of malversation and graft filed by the Ombudsman in November in connection with a P289-M flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. 

Attorney Ruy Rondain, Co’s legal counsel, confirmed filing the petition but has not responded to questions about Co’s current location. 

SC TRO

In his petition, Co asked the High Court to issue a temporary restraining order against the Ombudsman resolution on November 14, 2025 recommending the charges against the former lawmaker.

He also asked the court to annul the resolution claiming that Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla acted in haste in filing the case against Co. 

“… this Honorable Court issue an ex-parte temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary injunction restraining and/or enjoining respondent Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, in his capacity as the Ombudsman … from implementing the resolution dated 14 November 2025…. Including but not limited to desisting from prosecuting criminal cases nos. SB-25-CRM-0039, 0040, and 0041, Sandiganbayan , 5th, 6th, and 7th Divisions,” the petition read. 

Co claimed that the Ombudsman did not properly inform him of the charges and prevented his lawyers from accessing case documents. 

“He was never properly served with any order to file counter-affidavit …In disregard of Co’s constitutional right to due process and established rules of procedure, the Ombudsman declined resort to other available modes of service and merely proceeded to indict Co,” the petition said.

The Ombudsman also ignored the findings of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure where it said that Co merely had “beneficial ownership” of Sunwest, the corporation involved in the anomalous flood control project, Co alleged. 

“The ICI’s findings are not sufficient to indict Co, let alone convict him.” 

His lawyers likewise maintained that he did not flee the country, saying he left the country on July 19, 2025 on an official medical leave and added that he could not return to the country due to “imminent threats.”

“The evidence shows that Co did not flee. Subsequently, the public furor over the flood control scandal gave rise to very real and imminent threats to his life. It is for those reasons that he could not return,” the petition stated. 

GMA Integrated News is still seeking the Ombudsman’s side as of this writing and will publish it once available. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News