Fugitive congressman in flood scandal tests institutions ahead of 2028 polls
By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter
THE case of fugitive former lawmaker Elizaldy S. Co is emerging as a test of the Philippines’ institutions and political leadership ahead of the 2028 presidential race, analysts said, warning that it could shape how voters judge governance under President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.
The government’s handling of the case may influence public confidence in the rule of law, Gary G. Ador Dionisio, dean of the School of Diplomacy and Governance at De La Salle-College of St. Benilde, told BusinessWorld.
“If the government fails to demonstrate sustained institutional resolve, this episode risks becoming a symbol not of accountability, but of institutional vulnerability,” he said via Facebook Messenger.
Mr. Co, a former party-list representative, is wanted by the Sandiganbayan, the country’s anti-graft court, for graft and malversation tied to a P289.4-million road dike project flagged in a broader corruption probe last year.
The case has drawn attention not only for the scale of the fraud but also for the challenges authorities faced in securing his return after he left the Czech Republic and sought asylum in France.
Mr. Ador Dionisio said the outcome could carry political consequences for the Marcos administration, as voters tend to judge leadership based on results rather than legal or diplomatic complexities.
“While international legal processes such as asylum claims and extradition involve sovereign jurisdictions and diplomatic complexities, the political reality remains clear: voters often judge leadership by outcomes, not procedural explanations,” he said.
The episode unfolds as early positioning for the 2028 elections begins. Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio has expressed interest in seeking the presidency, while Mr. Marcos has yet to endorse a candidate.
The alliance that delivered their 2022 landslide has since fractured following her resignation as Education secretary in 2024.
Mr. Ador Dionisio said voters would ultimately assess whether institutions function effectively. “Citizens do assess whether institutions work, whether justice is consistent and whether the rule of law applies equally to all,” he added.
Ederson DT. Tapia, a political science professor at the University of Makati, said the administration’s early messaging might have complicated its position.
“The administration spoke too early and too definitively,” he said via Messenger. “It treated a developing situation as if it were already secured. Now that the situation has shifted, the earlier claims look overstated.”
Mr. Tapia said this has created the impression that authorities misread the legal landscape abroad while weakening the credibility of their broader accountability push.
“A case that was supposed to demonstrate control now looks uncertain,” he said. “I would not call it a failure of effort. The pursuit is still ongoing. But it is a lapse in judgment in how the state communicated its position.”
Mr. Marcos earlier announced Mr. Co’s supposed capture in Prague on April 16, but the Department of Justice later clarified he had only been taken into custody over invalid travel documents and was subsequently released.
A Philippine delegation led by Justice Secretary Fredderick A. Vida traveled to Prague to coordinate with Czech authorities, only to find that Mr. Co had already left the country.
Officials said the absence of an extradition treaty between Manila and Prague and the lack of an International Criminal Police Organization red notice had allowed Mr. Co to move within the Schengen Area.
Malacañang said Mr. Marcos has since met with French Ambassador Marie Fontanel and Czech Chargé d’Affaires Eva Tenzin to discuss the matter.
The President has expressed disappointment over the Czech Republic’s decision to release the former lawmaker but said the Philippines respects the legal processes of other countries.
Analysts said how the government navigates the case in the coming months could influence not just diplomatic ties but also domestic perceptions of accountability — a factor likely to weigh on voter sentiment as the 2028 race approaches.
