Co implicates Marcos, Romualdez in 2025 budget insertions worth P100 billion
Former Ako Bicol Party-list representative Zaldy Co has implicated President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and former Speaker of the House Martin Romualdez in the flood control mess.
In an almost-six-minute video uploaded on his Facebook page on Nov. 14, Co broke his silence regarding the controversy surrounding the 2025 budget insertions of flood control projects worth P100 billion.
The video began with excerpts of Co's message, which included, "Sana po ay hindi nila ako mapatay bago ko mailabas ang lahat."
Co then addressed the Filipino people: "Para sa bawat Pilipino, alam ko na buo ang galit ninyo sa akin ngayon. Nauunawaan ko rin kung bakit. Lalo na at malaki ang halagang nakataya. Pero bago kayo humusga, hayaan niyong ipaliwanag ko ang buong katotohanan," Co began.
"Matagal akong hindi nagsalita dahil may direktang utos sa akin: ''Wag nang bumalik ng pilipinas at manahimik na lamang.'"
Co left the Philippines on July 19 to seek medical treatment in the US. According to him, he had planned to return to the country after Marcos' fourth State of the Nation Address on July 28.
"Pero habang papauwi na ako, tinawagan ako ni dating speaker Martin Romualdez at sinabihan, 'Stay out of the country. You will be well taken care of as instructed by the president'," Co claimed.
"Noon, naniniwala pa ako sa kanila kaya't hindi ako bumalik. Tumikom ang aking bibig. Sumunod ako. Pero ang hindi ko alam, ang ibig pala nilang sabihin sa 'Aalagaan ka namin' ay gagamitin ako bilang panakip-butas sa kanilang kampanya laban sa korapsyon."
"Ginawa nila akong poster boy ng kanilang sariling kasinungalingan."
"Hindi na ako mananahimik. Ilalabas ko ang lahat ng katotohanan: May resibo, may ebidensya, at may pangalan."
He also posted on his Facebook page a list of all the projects that Marcos allegedly ordered to be inserted in the 2025 budget.
"Narito po ang listahan ng mga proyekto na inutos ni PBBM na i-insert sa 2025 Budget na may kabuoang halaga na 100 billion pesos," Co captioned his post.
See the full list in the gallery below.
Marcos' alleged instructions on 2025 budget
According to Co, it all started in 2024 when Budget Secretary Mina Pangandaman called him at the start of the Bicameral process.
"Ang sabi niya katatapos lang ng meeting nila ni Pangulo at may instructions na mag-insert o magpasok ng 100 billion worth of projects sa Bicam," he said.
"At sinabi pa ni Sec Mina, 'You can confirm with Usec Adrian Bersamin dahil magkasma sila sa meeting ni Pangulong BBM n'ung araw na 'yun." Bersamin is the undersecretary of the Office of the Executive.
Co said he called Bersamin to confirm the president's instructions.
"Ang sabi niya ay totoo nga po," Co claimed, adding that it was when he called Romualdez and reported the president's instructions. "Sinabi niya sa 'kin, 'What the president wants, he gets.'"
After a few days, as narrated by Co, Pangandaman and Bersamin set a meeting with Co and Romualdez at the Aguado Building in front of Gate 4 of Malacañang. Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz was present, Co recalled.
"During the meeting, binigay po ni Usec Adrian Bersamin ang listahan na worth 100 billion. Tinanong ko po si Usec. Adrian kung saan galing ang listahan. Ang sagot niya, 'Galing kay PBBM mismo at binigay niya ito mula sa brown leather bag,'" Co said.
"N'ung sinabi po ni Usec Bersamin 'yung brown leather bag, naalala ko n'ung nasa Singapore kami right after the elections, May 2022 sa Hilton Hotel; kami ni dating Speaker Martin and PBBM habang pauwi at pabalik ng Pilipinas, hinabol ng PSG ang brown leather bag, at ang sabi ni PBBM, 'Maiwan na lahat, 'wag lang ang brown leather bag.' Kaya naniwala ako na utos talaga ito ng pangulo," added Co.
After a few days, Co said he informed Romualdez, Pangandaman, Bersamin, and Cadiz, "kung pwede 50 billion lang ang ipasok sa program funds dahil sosobra ang DPWH funds vs sa DepEd. In practice, hindi pwede na mas malaki ang budget ng DPWH kaysa sa edukasyon. 'Yung balance na 50 billion, ilagay na lang sa unprogrammed funds for the 2025 Budget dahil Office of the President din ang nagrerelease ang lahat ng unprogrammed funds."
After a day, Co said Pangandaman called him and said, "'Ang mensahe ng Pangulo, ipasok niyo 'yan dahil pinangako na sa 'kin ni Speaker Martin 'yan at hindi na pwedeng baguhin.' Kumbaga, ang utos ng hari, hindi pwedeng mabali," said Co.
"Again, I informed the Speaker and asked clearance about the instructions ng Pangulo. At ang sabi niya, 'Wala tayong magagawa'," claimed Co.
"Kaya po nagtataka ako kung bakit sinasabi ni Pangulo na hindi niya makilala ang budget, samantalang lahat ng binawas at dinagdag sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno ay humihingi ng approval sa kanya si Sec. Mina Pangandaman," he said.
According to Co's post, this video is just the first part. He did not share when he would be posting the next one.
While Romualdez has not commented on Co's accusations as of writing, Malacañang rejected the claims, asserting that Co is merely evading responsibility. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro challenged Co, demanding he testify under oath and provide evidence if he fears for his life.(Read the Palace's reaction here.)
Reactions to Co's claims vs Marcos, Romualdez
In an interview with the press, Senate Finance Committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian, who said he hadn't seen the video yet, shared his thoughts on the release of Co's message.
"Mahirap mag-comment ngayon. I have to look at the video. But definitely, seryoso 'yung kanyang mga sinasabi. Pero hindi rin natin matiyak kung totoo 'yung kanyang sinasabi," Gatchalian said.
Addressing Co, he added, "Para sa 'kin, kung ikaw ay walang tinatago, dapat nandito ka physically. Harapin mo itong mga tanong. Pumunta ka dito sa hearing. Harapin mo 'yung mga akusasyon sa 'yo. Hindi 'yung nagtatago ka ta's gagawa ka ng video tapos ano-ano 'yung sinasabi mo. I think 'yung physical presence—'yan 'yung pinakaimportante na magvi-vindicate sa 'yo."
The senator also said, in his recollection regarding the 2025 budget, "marami ring vineto si Presidente at that time... almost 160 billion-plus. I have to check that again."
Corruption allegations vs Co
On Sept. 29, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure submitted its first interim report to the Office of the Ombudsman. The report flagged possible anomalies in a P289.5-million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro. Co is listed as the project’s contractor.
That same day, Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero gave a privilege speech at the Senate, where, at one point, he accused Romualdez of redirecting corruption allegations to the Senate.
“In the past weeks, it’s been very clear that public outrage over ghost and substandard projects is being diverted from those guilty to the Senate and to some of its members. Senators are being made fall guys,” Escudero claimed. “There’s only one person behind this script and sarsuela—Martin Romualdez.”
Romualdez and Co, who have repeatedly denied the corruption claims against them, skipped the Senate hearing on anomalous flood control projects on Friday, Nov. 14 after being invited to attend.
Hearings at the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the ICI have revealed billions of pesos lost to corruption.
Marcos assured the public on Thursday, Nov. 13, that there will be no happy holidays for officials involved as he vowed jail time for them before the year ends.
