Co was never repatriated — he slipped away as soon as he was implicated, and he’s now apparently still in France while the French government decides his fate.
Here’s the chain of events: Marcos announced on April 16 that Co had been detained in Prague after trying to cross into Germany with invalid travel documents.
This was merely a detention, not a criminal arrest, according to reports.
Officials initially said repatriation could happen within one to three weeks, but he vanished almost immediately. By April 27, Fredderick Vida, acting secretary of justice, admitted Co was “no longer in Czech custody” — Czech authorities apparently had released him shortly afterward, since he hadn’t actually committed an extraditable offense there, just an immigration violation.
The Philippines has no extradition treaty with the Czech Republic, and apparently no Interpol Red Notice had ever been issued — so Czech police had no international obligation to hold him for Manila.
He subsequently resurfaced in France, asking for asylum. By April 28, Malacañang confirmed Co had filed for political asylum in France, citing alleged political persecution.
Co is believed to be still in France while his asylum application is pending.
Why asylum stalls everything.
Under French law, the asylum agency OFPRA — French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons — can take up to six months to decide a claim, and while it’s pending, France generally won’t extradite or deport an applicant.
France and the Philippines also have no extradition treaty, so even a denial wouldn’t guarantee a quick handover — it would still require separate diplomatic or deportation proceedings.
The bottom line: three structural gaps let him slip through — no extradition treaty with either Czech Republic or France, a stalled Interpol Red Notice, and an asylum claim that legally freezes the clock.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson and other senators have publicly called the episode an embarrassment for the DOJ.
Lacson said the government has no one to blame but itself for Co’s release from custody.
“Simply put, it was a lost opportunity and our government has nobody to blame except itself,” Lacson was quoted as saying, adding that failure to act quickly after being informed of Co’s apprehension put the government in an embarrassing situation
As of early May, Co remained free in France with no clear timeline for his return.
This might be worth a standalone update to the report card — his case was the closest thing to a “big fish” arrest, and it’s effectively reverted to fugitive status.