The Marcos administration is prepared to coordinate with Portugal or any foreign government should former lawmaker Zaldy Co indeed possess a Portuguese passport, Malacañang said.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said after reports surfaced that Co possesses a Portuguese passport following President Marcos’ announcement that the former congressman’s Philippine passport had been cancelled.

In an interview with Super Radyo DZBB, Castro said President Marcos remains focused on bringing Co home to face charges over ghost flood-control projects.

“Kasi ang nais talaga ng Pangulo ay maibalik si Zaldy Co dito sa Pilipinas (The President really wants to bring Zaldy Co back to the Philippines),” she said on Thursday, Dec. 11.

“Kung siya naman ay may pasaporte, tingin naman natin puwede tayong makipag-ugnayan sa nasabing bansa (If he holds a foreign passport, we can coordinate with the issuing country),” she added, noting that cooperation would be expected if the country is part of Interpol.

However, Castro emphasized that the Palace has no confirmation that Co holds a foreign passport.

Despite online claims that Co is in Portugal, Castro noted that there has been no official update on his whereabouts.

“Ang huling-huli nating pagkakaalam ay nasa Japan… ayon kay Sec. Jonvic (The last we heard was that he is in Japan, according to Sec. Jonvic),” she said, referring to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

Even if Co is using other travel documents, Castro said an Interpol Red Notice would make him recognizable to foreign authorities.

“Kung gagamitin niya… may Interpol pa rin po siguro sa ibang bansa na kaniyang pupuntahan (If he will use his foreign passport, perhaps there is Interpol in the country he will go to),” she said.

“At pag merong Red Notice po ito, makikilala at makikilala naman po siya (And when there’s a Red Notice, he will be easily recognized),” she added.

When asked whether someone as large— or larger—than Co in the flood control corruption scandal, Castro pointed back to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla’s earlier statements.

“Ayon po mismo kay Ombudsman Remulla, meron pa pong aabangan (According to Ombudsman Remulla, there are others we should look forward to),” she said.

Pressed on speculation that the next suspect may be a sitting senator or congressman, Castro declined to comment.

“Ayoko pong mag-speculate… wala po sa akin ang records (I don’t want to speculate, I don’t have the records),” she said, adding that only the Ombudsman can confirm the next steps in the widening investigation.