MANILA — Malacañang said the government remains committed to tracking down fugitives linked to anomalous flood control projects, including former lawmaker Zaldy Co.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the Department of the Interior and Local Government is coordinating with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to trace Co’s movements.

“So, ngayon may pending po tayong request at hindi po naibibigay sa atin sa ngayon ano ang status, pero may pending po tayong request for cooperation ng Interpol (We have a pending request and currently have not received the status, but we have a pending request for Interpol cooperation),” she said.

“Ang administrasyon po at ang gobyernong ito ay patuloy sa pagta-trabaho at paghanap sa mga kababayan natin na nagtatago sa ngayon (The administration continues to work to track down citizens who are currently in hiding),” Castro added.

She noted that several flood control cases have already been filed or recommended for filing, and while some suspects remain at large, arrests have been made and recovered kickbacks returned to the national treasury.

Castro said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is leaving the handling of these cases to the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman, emphasizing that the President’s main focus remains on improving the economy.

“At ang tututukan po talaga ng Pangulo ay kung paano pa pauunlarin ang ekonomiya ng bansa. (The President’s main focus is on advancing the country’s economy),” she said.