‘Clearer picture’ emerging on how Zaldy Co moved in Europe —DOJ

PRAGUE — Philippine authorities are beginning to piece together how former congressman Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co moved across Europe, Department of Justice (DOJ) acting Secretary Fredderick Vida said Sunday, following initial coordination with Czech counterparts.

Vida said the DOJ delegation has obtained “workable intel” that is helping clarify how reports emerged that Co had been sighted and encountered by authorities.

“We’ve gained some workable intel kung paano nangyari [on how it transpired]… so we will build on that,” Vida told reporters in Prague on April 26.

He said the team now has a clearer understanding of developments leading to Co’s reported presence in the region.

“Medyo mas maliwanag na mga detalye at datos kung paano nangyari [the details on what happened are clearer now],” he added.

Vida said the information gathered so far is being validated ahead of a scheduled meeting with Czech authorities, where the Philippine side is expected to seek further details.

“Marami po tayong mga bagay na lilinawin at iba-validate yung mga impormasyon [There are a lot of things we need clarification and information we need verification on],” he said.

The DOJ chief said the focus of the ongoing efforts is to reconstruct the sequence of events surrounding Co’s movements and determine the next steps under applicable legal processes.

“Basically we’re studying everything,” Vida said.

He declined to disclose specific details, saying some information remains subject to validation and coordination protocols. However, he said that the Philippine government will not return home "empty-handed" from the trip.

Authorities are expected to continue verifying information in the coming days as discussions with Czech officials proceed. — BM, GMA News