MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Friday clarified that there was no contradiction on the pronouncements of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other Philippine officials regarding former lawmaker Zaldy Co, saying he was indeed apprehended due to immigration concerns.
In a statement, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that the word "arrest" did not come from the President.
"The President and Secretary of Justice Fredderick Vida were clear in their statements. There is no contradiction," Castro said.
"What the President said was that Zaldy Co is in the custody of the Czech Republic due to a lack of proper documentation. Zaldy Co was apprehended due to immigration concerns," she added.
Quoting Justice spokesman Polo Martinez, Castro said that "Co's liberty was indeed restrained due to lack of proper documentation."
"For analogy, it’s similar to a situation in the airport where the person arrives and immigration denies entry or excludes the person," Castro said.
"There is a deprivation of liberty to a certain degree. Apprehended due to immigration concerns," she added.
On April 16, 2026, Marcos announced that Co was apprehended in Prague, Czech Republic after allegedly crossing the border without proper documentation. He has since been held under the custody of the Czech authorities.