Zaldy Co, the former head of the House appropriations committee, and 17 others have until Monday to surrender after arrest warrants were issued against them by the anti-graft court in connection with the flood control projects scandal in Oriental Mindoro.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla gave the deadline on Saturday but as of Sunday only a Public Works and Highways official was apprehended in Quezon City.

National Bureau of Investigation acting director Angelito Magno said 13 arrest warrants were served at their residences but the persons were nowhere to be found, Bilyonaryo News Channel said.

Bureau of Immigration director Joel Anthony Viado said four of those facing arrest warrants, including Co, have left the country.

Viado said Co left for Singapore on August 6.

Radio station dzBB reported that Dennis Abagon of the agency's Mimaropa regional office was served an arrest warrant by the National Bureau of Investigation.

Abagon was found in a house where the windows were found covered in Quezon City, dzBB said. He brought by the NBI to Pasay City, it added.

Remulla issued the warning as police officers have started searching for Co and his other co-accused.

Should Co and the others ignore his warning, Remulla said they will consider them fugitives from justice.

“All bets are off, kapag sila magpakita ng konting aggressive maneuvers or evasive maneuvers baka magpasensyahan kami,” Remulla said.

Police went to Co’s condominium unit in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, but the former lawmaker was nowhere to be found.

Based on intelligence reports, Remulla said Co was in Japan last Monday but left on Thursday for China.

From China, Co returned to Europe, the department chief said. DMS