Zaldy Co may seek asylum in Czech Republic to avoid return to PH —analyst

Former Ako Bicol Party-list representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co may apply for asylum in the Czech Republic to prevent his return to the Philippines, a political analyst said Monday.Lawyer Michael Tiu, head of the International Criminal Law program of the University of the Philippines Institute of Legal Studies, said the approval for asylum, however, will undergo determination."Pwede siyang mag-apply ng asylum. Although again, may initial determination, may initial interview ang asylum usually na mag-screen, mag-sasala ng unfounded claims," Tiu told "Unang Hirit's On the Record" on Monday.(He may apply for asylum, but that would undergo an initial determination. Usually, there will be screening to find out unfounded claims.)"Kailangan doon pa lang mapatunayan niya na meron talaga siyang well-founded fear na pasok sa grounds. Kasi ang grounds ng persecution, for example, would be race, religion, nationality, political opinion, at membership in a social group.Parang sa limang yun, wala siyang hindi siya pasok, bukod na lang sa kung makapag-presenta siya ng grave human rights violation na mangyayari sa kanya kapag ini-return siya," he said.

(He needs to prove right from the start that he truly has a well-founded fear that fits within the recognized grounds. The grounds for persecution, for example, include race, religion, nationality, political opinion, and membership in a particular social group. It seems that he doesn’t fall under any of those five—unless he can present evidence that he would face a grave human rights violation if he were returned.)Co, who is linked to alleged corruption in flood control projects, was reportedly arrested in Prague and is under immigration detention.A high-level team led by Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida and Chief State Counsel Dennis Chan Mahalagaan was sent to Czech Republic to coordinate with authorities regarding the former lawmaker's possible return.According to Tiu, the coordination may possibly go three different ways, including Co's deportation due to lack of travel documents."The other path, yung diplomatic negotiations...They can diplomatically negotiate on the transfer of this person, especially kung totoo talaga na walang Portuguese passport o walang nationality in the EU itong taong ito. So wala masyadong interest yung Czech Republic na panghawakan siya," he said.(The other path is diplomatic negotiations.They can diplomatically negotiate on the transfer of this person, especially if it is true that he has no Portuguese passport. This means the Czech Republic has no interest to hold him there.)"Part of that diplomatic negotiation also is the ability of these two countries to negotiate for extradition on an advocacy desist …so kahit walang extradition treaty as two equal sovereigns, they can negotiate for this purpose only," Tiu added.(Part of that diplomatic negotiation also is the ability of these two countries to negotiate for extradition on an advoc desist. So even without extradition treaty as two equal sovereigns, they can negotiate for this purpose only.)The political analyst the Philippine government may likewise invoked the extradition provisions under the UN Convention Against Corruption, an international treaty that aims to prevent and combat corruption through international cooperation, asset recovery, and criminalization."Again, that's still subject to both of their discretion," he added.On April 17, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the former lawmaker was stopped at the German border after entering from the Czech Republic. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Co may be returned to the country “within a week or within a month" but a Czech migration law expert said it will depend on legal procedures of the Czech Republic and could face delays. —Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA News