ASEANEWS HEADLINE | MANILA, Philippines: Co tags President Marcos, Romualdez in budget insertions
Former congressman Zaldy Co breaks his silence in a video sent to media yesterday, alleging a presidential directive to insert P100 billion worth of projects into the 2025 national budget.
Zaldy Co tags Marcos, Romualdez in bicam insertion scheme
Zaldy claims ex-speaker told him to stay out of Philippines
MANILA, Philippines — Speaking publicly for the first time since going into hiding, resigned Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co alleged that President Marcos ordered the insertion of P100 billion worth of projects into the 2025 national budget during the bicameral conference committee last year.
In a video statement, Co said that resigned House speaker Martin Romualdez, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin all had “direct knowledge” of the controversial insertions.
Pangandaman supposedly informed Co at the start of the 2024 bicam process that “their meeting with the President has just been finished and there was an instruction to insert P100 billion worth of projects in bicam.”
She allegedly directed Co to confirm the matter with Bersamin, who affirmed that Marcos issued the instruction.
.
After receiving this confirmation, Co reported the matter to Romualdez, who allegedly replied: “What the President wants, he gets.”
A few days later, Pangandaman and Bersamin arranged a meeting with him and Romualdez at the Aguado building near Malacañang, with Justice Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz present, Co claimed.
During that meeting, Co said Bersamin handed him a project list worth P100 billion, allegedly “from PBBM himself,” taken from a “brown leather bag.”
Co linked the bag to a 2022 trip to Singapore after the elections, recalling that a Presidential Security Group member chased after them to hand over a similar bag because the President insisted it must not be left behind – an incident that reinforced his belief that the instructions originated from Marcos.
.
.
Concerned that the DPWH budget would exceed DepEd’s, Co asked if the P100-billion insertion could be cut to P50 billion for program funds, with the remaining P50 billion to be placed under unprogrammed funds.
The next day, Pangandaman allegedly relayed Marcos’ response: “Insert it because it was already promised to me by Speaker Martin and it can no longer be changed.”
Romualdez later cleared the instruction, saying they could do nothing about it, Co claimed.
He wondered why Marcos publicly claimed he could no longer recognize the budget when Pangandaman was seeking his approval for additions and subtractions across agencies.
Acknowledging public anger given the magnitude of the funds, Co asked Filipinos not to prejudge him as he lays out his full account.
He said he kept quiet because of a “direct order” to stay out of the country.
@[email protected]
He left on July 19, 2025 for medical treatment and planned to return after the President’s State of the Nation Address. But on the day he was set to fly home, Romualdez allegedly instructed him to remain abroad, assuring him he would be “well taken care of as instructed by the President.”
“I believed them… but little did I know what they meant was they would just use me as a placeholder in their campaign against corruption. They made me the poster boy of their lies. Now, I will no longer remain silent,” Co said.
He vowed to “reveal all the truth” about the 2025 budget insertions.
ICI to review Co’s claims
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is assessing allegations made by Co against Marcos and other government officials.
ICI executive director Brian Hosaka said the commission will withhold comment until it completes its review of Co’s statements in the newly released video.
@[email protected]
Co released only the first part of his testimony yesterday. No schedule of release or details have been announced for the next part.
‘Come home, testify’
Members of the House of Representatives, meanwhile, urged Co to return to the country and testify under oath.
Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima said Co must fully cooperate with the ICI investigation.
“He should take an oath and tell the whole truth before the proper forum,” she stressed.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, for his part, argued that Marcos is not insulated from accountability, noting he signed into law the 2023, 2024 and 2025 General Appropriations Acts that contained unprecedented flood control funding.
According to Tinio, the President must confront the allegations, submit himself to an independent inquiry and face the consequences.
Kabataan Rep. Renee Co, meanwhile, said the revelations confirm what the Makabayan bloc has long argued: “Corruption in the Philippines is systemic… Malacañang is at the center of corrupt operations.”
“The Philippine government is a syndicate and the President is the mafia boss… The most direct implication: Marcos Jr. is not only involved, he is really the commander in chief,” she added.
@[email protected]
Makabayan said the alleged overruling of Co’s proposed P50-billion limit – which would have avoided DPWH’s budget overtaking DepEd’s – was “deliberate” and that the testimony “demolishes any pretense that Marcos Jr. is innocent.”
While acknowledging Co may be acting out of self-preservation, the bloc maintained his statements remain “damning” and must be investigated, including the list of projects and private contractors he identified. — Mark Ernest Villeza
.
Memento Maxima Digital Marketing
@[email protected]
SPACE RESERVE FOR ADVERTISEMENT
Happy
