As legal and colorful comments flood social media about former congressman Zaldy Co, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is quietly preparing for all the scenarios once he is flown back to the country.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Randulf T. Tuaño revealed that as soon as the arrest of Co was, they already received an instruction from Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla to prepare.

And so the preparations begin.

The PNP recognizes the long and meticulous process of flying back fugitives like Co, but right now, that is the least of its worries since there are government agencies that are tasked to do so.

But once the plane carrying Co touches down in any Philippine airports, that is the time that the police will be busy.

“The PNP is ready once the former congressman arrives in the country,” Tuaño assured in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

First, the arrest warrant issued by the Sandiganbayan in connection with the alleged anomalous flood control project in Oriental Mindoro would be served, coupled with the reading of Miranda rights.

The serving of arrest warrant would place Co under the custody of the PNP and once the first phase of informing the former congressman on why he is being arrested is done, he would be transported to Camp Crame in Quezon City.

It is the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) which would be in charge of the booking procedures, which includes taking of mugshots, and then the piano session— the police and criminal lingo for taking fingerprints.

Such a procedure is necessary to establish the identity of Co, which is essential since it is the police which will be asked by the court if they arrested the right Zaldy Co.

Tuaño said the booking procedures also include the conduct of physical and medical examinations.

After all that procedures, Co would be presented to the Sandiganbayan for the return of warrants which comes with formal information to the court that the tasked assigned to the PNP is done.

It is during the presentation of Co that the court will decide on where to temporarily or permanently detain Co.

But what if the court decides to detain him at Camp Crame?

Tuaño said the Camp Crame detention for Co is unlikely since the Custodial Center, which used to be the detention facility for high-profile detainees, is no longer available as it was already declared as a condemned facility.

“It is moot and academic when it comes to the issue of Custodial Center simply because it is already condemned,” said Tuaño.

The bigger question, however, is the arrival date of Co.

Tuaño said they do not know. What they are focused on right now is that the PNP would be ready for his security and other protocol once the former Ako Bicol partlylist representative, who is at the center of a trillion peso worth flood control scam, arrives in the country.