Posibleng magtangkang humingi ng political asylum si dating Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co sa Czech Republic upang maiwasan ang extradition pabalik sa Pilipinas — katulad ng ginagawa ni dating presidential spokesman na si Harry Roque sa Austria, ayon kay dating Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) commissioner Ruben Carranza.
Inaresto si Co sa Czech Republic noong Abril 16, matapos tangkaing tumawid sa hangganan gamit ang hindi balidong dokumento.
Sa kanyang Facebook post, sinabi ni Carranza:
“He will claim that his case is in fact ‘political’ even if the charges are not. He might even do what my UP Law classmate did and seek asylum,” aniya, tinutukoy si Roque bilang kanyang kaklase sa UP College of Law.
Ipinaliwanag din ni Carranza na bagama’t walang extradition treaty ang Pilipinas at Czech Republic, maaari pa ring tanggapin ng Prague ang kahilingan para sa extradition.
“There are two things going in favor of extradition: (1) The PH can likely show that the offense he is charged with is NOT a political offense but an offense involving corruption. (2) The PH has previously worked with Czech authorities on extraditing a Czech fugitive hiding in the PH,” aniya.
Binanggit pa ni Carranza na hindi basta-basta susuko si Co lalo na kung may access pa siya sa bilyun-bilyong pisong nakaw na yaman.
“This doesn’t mean that Co will just willingly surrender and submit to extradition. He will utilize his due process rights in Czech courts AND/OR even at the European Court of Human Rights,” aniya.
“If he still has access to his stolen billions, then hiding and fighting it out in that country will be a bearable lightness of being Zaldy Co,” dagdag niya.
Kinansela ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) ang pasaporte ni Co noong Disyembre 2025 matapos ang arrest warrant na inilabas ng Sandiganbayan kaugnay ng isang kasong korupsiyon. # (RRN)