PHL seeks Portugal’s help to arrest and return fugitive lawmaker

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday said the Philippine government is coordinating with Portuguese authorities to bring home former Congressman Elizaldy S. Co, a fugitive in a high-profile flood control and infrastructure scandal.

“We have to ask the assistance of the country where he is, which is presently Portugal,” Mr. Marcos said during a livestreamed presidential briefing from New York City.

The President added that Philippine authorities had requested international support through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).

“We have already issued a red notice with Interpol and continue to coordinate with the Portuguese authorities to have him brought home,” he said in Filipino.

Mr. Co was declared a fugitive from justice by the Sandiganbayan, the country’s anti-graft court, last month after repeatedly evading arrest and failing to appear in hearings for graft and malversation charges.

The cases relate to an allegedly anomalous P289.4-million road dike project in Oriental Mindoro, which was intended to strengthen flood defenses in the province but has since drawn scrutiny over irregularities and suspected misappropriation of public funds.

The Sandiganbayan also canceled Mr. Co’s passport following his failure to cooperate with the proceedings.

The former lawmaker has remained outside the Philippines since President Marcos announced a nationwide crackdown on anomalous flood control and infrastructure projects during his 2025 State of the Nation Address.

That address highlighted several allegedly corrupt contracts across the country, including projects that were either incomplete, overpriced or linked to officials accused of bypassing procurement rules.

Authorities said the goal is to restore public trust and ensure that funds intended for disaster prevention and public works reach their intended purpose.

Legal experts and anti-graft advocates have said the high-profile nature of the case underscores broader challenges in the Philippines’ infrastructure governance.

Officials have stressed that bringing fugitives like Mr. Co to justice is a critical signal that the government is committed to enforcing accountability, particularly in projects funded by public money.

Interpol’s red notice, an international request to locate and provisionally arrest a suspect pending extradition, is the latest step in the Philippine government’s effort to ensure Mr. Co faces the pending graft and malversation charges.

Philippine authorities continue to work with Portuguese counterparts to facilitate his return, while monitoring other international channels to prevent fugitives from evading justice.

The Co case remains a focal point in the administration’s campaign against corruption in infrastructure, particularly in projects related to flood control, disaster mitigation, and climate resilience. — E.M.P. Sinaking