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January 29, 2026 | 11:50am
Former Rep. Elizaldy Co admits inserting P100 billion in the 2025 budget in a video released on Nov. 14, 2025 while abroad.
Zaldy Co / Philstar.com's screenshot
MANILA, Philippines — Former lawmaker Zaldy Co, who has been hiding for a while, is in Sweden, court documents showed.
According to the apostille attached to his petition before the Supreme Court, the document stated that the former lawmaker personally appeared before a Swedish notary public, who verified his identity and witnessed the signing of legal documents connected to the petition.
This strikes down claims that the fugitive lawmaker is hiding in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in Portugal.
In his petition before the high court, filed on January 12, Co assailed the Ombudsman resolution, which indicted him for graft and malversation.
The document was acknowledged by the Swedish Notary Public on Jan. 15, 2026.
An apostille is a certification that authenticates public documents for use in foreign countries that are parties to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.
On January 13, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said authorities speculate that Zaldy Co is in Portugal.
RELATED: Philippines seeks return of Zaldy Co from Portugal
This has been repeatedly claimed by Remulla since December 2025, saying that Co might have a Portuguese passport.
RELATED: Zaldy Co likely hiding in Europe under Portuguese passport — DILG
Co is at large due to an alleged ghost flood control project for the construction of a road dike along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, which had a budget of P289.5 million.
Co’s co-accused are already in detention. The government also previously said that it was set to apply for an Interpol Red Notice against the former lawmaker.
