Remulla Brothers Head to France as Pressure Mounts on Zaldy Co and Loren Legarda
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government's pursuit of fugitive former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co is moving beyond the country's borders.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla are preparing to travel to France as authorities step up efforts to locate Co and bring him back to the Philippines.
But Co is not the only name drawing attention.
The Remulla brothers also plan to discuss matters involving Senator Loren Legarda, who is currently the subject of a preliminary investigation over allegations connected to a multibillion-peso solar energy project.
The development puts France at the center of two separate but politically sensitive Philippine investigations.
Jonvic Remulla to pursue Interpol action
Jonvic Remulla said he will personally travel to Lyon to coordinate with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) regarding a new request for a Red Notice against Co.
The DILG chief said the Philippine government will file another request for a Red Notice, which authorities view as an important step in efforts to locate Co and pursue his extradition.
A Red Notice is an international request to law-enforcement authorities to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition or similar legal action. It is not, by itself, an international arrest warrant.
Remulla said he would handle the law-enforcement side of the effort through Interpol.
His brother, meanwhile, will take a different route.
Ombudsman Remulla to talk with French authorities
Jesus Crispin Remulla is expected to travel to Paris to engage French authorities through diplomatic channels.
The Ombudsman previously said he intended to discuss the cases involving Co and Legarda with authorities in France.
He has sharply criticized the perception that France could become a destination for people facing serious corruption investigations in the Philippines.
Remulla has also expressed concern over the continued presence of Co in France while Philippine authorities pursue legal action against him.
The Ombudsman's approach, however, is different from his brother's Interpol effort.
Jonvic Remulla is pursuing the international police track.
Boying Remulla is handling the diplomatic side.
Zaldy Co remains a major target
Co is facing an arrest warrant from the Sandiganbayan in connection with an alleged anomalous ₱289-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
He has also been named a co-accused of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez in a separate ₱7.4-billion plunder case involving alleged irregularities in flood-control projects and government budget insertions.
The allegations remain subject to court proceedings, and Co has denied wrongdoing.
His name has nevertheless become central to the government's broader investigation into alleged corruption in flood-control projects.
According to SunStar, Co's construction firm, Sunwest Corporation, was among the major contractors that received a significant share of flood-control projects from 2022 to 2025.
Co has already moved through Europe
The government's effort to bring Co home has been complicated by his movements outside the Philippines.
He was briefly detained by Czech authorities in April after attempting to enter Germany from the Czech Republic.
He was later released from Czech custody and reportedly remained within the Schengen area.
Philippine authorities subsequently said Co was seeking asylum in France.
That is why the planned visit by the Remulla brothers is significant.
The government is now trying to coordinate directly with authorities in the country where Co is reportedly staying.
Then there is Loren Legarda
The France trip also comes as Senator Loren Legarda faces a separate investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman.
The investigation involves allegations of plunder, graft and conflict of interest related to a ₱10.44-billion solar energy project linked to her son, Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste.
Legarda has not been found guilty of wrongdoing.
The matter remains under preliminary investigation, and any allegations against her must still be established through the appropriate legal process.
Nevertheless, Ombudsman Remulla has publicly questioned her prolonged stay outside the Philippines.
Legarda extends medical leave again
The senator has extended her medical leave for the fifth time, according to Inquirer, keeping her away from the Senate until September 16.
Her repeated absences have attracted increased scrutiny because the extensions largely cover Mondays through Wednesdays—the same days scheduled for the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Inquirer reported that Legarda initially filed medical leave from August 3 to 5 and subsequently sought several extensions.
The timing has fueled political questions, but her absence alone does not establish any wrongdoing.
Remulla: France should not become a refuge for alleged ill-gotten wealth
Boying Remulla has taken an increasingly aggressive tone over the presence of Philippine officials or personalities facing investigations who are reportedly in France.
He said the government wants French authorities to understand the cases involving Co and Legarda and has warned against the perception of France becoming a hiding place for wealth allegedly obtained illegally.
The Ombudsman described Co and Legarda as being in France and said the government intends to make it more difficult for individuals facing Philippine investigations to remain beyond the reach of authorities.
Those remarks, however, should be distinguished from any formal finding by French authorities.
There is currently no indication that France has determined either Co or Legarda guilty of the Philippine allegations.
The bigger flood-control investigation
The pressure on Co comes as the Philippine government intensifies its crackdown on alleged corruption involving flood-control projects.
Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez was arrested on September 7 after the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant in connection with the ₱7.4-billion plunder case.
The Ombudsman alleges that billions of pesos were diverted through a network involving flood-control projects and other transactions.
Romualdez has denied wrongdoing.
The case has become one of the most significant corruption investigations under the Marcos administration.
Jonvic Remulla has repeatedly emphasized that law enforcement will pursue those covered by valid arrest warrants regardless of their political or personal connections.
Why the France trip matters
The planned trip represents a new phase in the government's campaign.
For years, Philippine authorities have primarily relied on domestic investigations, subpoenas and arrest warrants.
Now, at least part of the effort is being conducted internationally.
The challenge is that an Interpol Red Notice does not automatically guarantee extradition.
Any effort to bring Co back to the Philippines would still have to comply with the legal procedures and requirements of the country where he is located.
That makes cooperation with French authorities crucial.
Two Remullas, two fronts
The division of responsibilities between the brothers is notable.
Jonvic Remulla: Interpol and law-enforcement coordination in Lyon.
Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla: Diplomatic discussions with French authorities in Paris.
Together, their mission is aimed at tightening the Philippine government's ability to pursue people facing major legal cases while they are abroad.
For Co, the immediate objective is clear: strengthen the effort to locate and return him to the Philippines.
For Legarda, the situation is different. She is not facing an arrest warrant based on the information currently reported; rather, she remains under investigation over allegations that have not been adjudicated.
France becomes the next battleground
The Philippine government's corruption investigations have now reached beyond its own borders.
With Zaldy Co reportedly in France and Loren Legarda also facing scrutiny while on extended leave, the country is preparing to engage French authorities directly.
But the legal situations are not identical.
Co is the subject of an arrest warrant and a renewed Interpol effort.
Legarda is facing a preliminary investigation and has not been convicted of any offense.
The Remulla brothers' planned France mission will test how far Philippine authorities can go in pursuing cases overseas—and how willing French authorities are to cooperate.
For the government, the message is increasingly clear:
Being outside the Philippines may make a case more complicated, but it does not necessarily make the investigation disappear.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D