Philippine president says corruption suspect Zaldy Co has been arrested in Prague
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the arrest of Zaldy Co, a key suspect in a major corruption scandal, in the Czech Republic, with efforts ongoing to repatriate him to the Philippines.
- Co, who resigned from the House of Representatives over allegations of financial anomalies in flood control projects, was detained for crossing into the Czech Republic without proper documentation.
- The Philippines lacks an extradition treaty with the Czech Republic, complicating efforts to secure Co's custody, but officials have canceled his passport and sought Interpol's assistance.
- The scandal involves accusations against several powerful legislators for embezzling kickbacks from flood control projects worth over 545 billion pesos ($9 billion), many of which were substandard or unbuilt.
- The revelations have triggered widespread public outrage and anti-corruption protests in the Philippines, highlighting issues of poverty and government malfeasance.
