Prague, Czech Republic—Former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co does not possess a Portuguese passport, according to a source from the Portuguese Embassy in Prague.
The source confirmed this information to GMA News on Monday, stating that they thoroughly checked their citizens’ registry, which contains the database of all Portuguese citizens holding citizen cards or passports.
“There is no ‘Elizaldy Co’ in our citizens’ registry,” the source stated. However, the source also clarified that while his name does not appear in the registry, it does not automatically mean he does not have citizenship.
They explained that Portuguese nationals can technically maintain citizenship even without an active passport, or that some individuals might still be in the process of applying for or waiting for their citizen cards, which could explain the absence of records.
Aside from the passport issue, GMA News also verified reports regarding Co’s alleged possession of a “Golden Visa.” In response to the inquiry, the embassy source confirmed that Portugal is no longer issuing Golden Visas, a type of residence permit granted through investment. This development comes amid previous speculations that Co may have used such documentation to facilitate his stay abroad.
Co left the Philippines in mid-2025 for what was reported as medical treatment and has not returned since, eventually resigning from his post in Congress.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) had been coordinating with Portuguese authorities since December 2025 due to suspicions regarding his citizenship status. Prior to his arrest at the German-Czech border last Thursday, Co was reportedly residing in a “sheltered community” in Lisbon, Portugal.
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