Former Philippine congressman Zaldy Co has been arrested in Prague, proving that corruption scandals can achieve impressive international reach when properly motivated. Co allegedly earned kickbacks from 'ghost' flood control projects—a term that perfectly captures the surreal nature of stealing money meant to prevent people from drowning while ensuring they remain perpetually at risk of drowning.

The Philippines cancelled Co's passport and enlisted Interpol to hunt him down after investigations revealed years of phantom infrastructure projects that cost the economy dearly while providing exactly zero flood protection. Co had been gallivanting around Europe since July 2025, presumably enjoying the fruits of his allegedly fraudulent labor while his constituents dealt with actual floods using actual inadequate infrastructure. The scandal has reportedly hurt President Marcos's popularity, though one might argue that having politicians steal disaster relief funds should hurt more than just poll numbers.