Statement of Ombudsman Boying Remulla amid Zaldy Co’s Corruption Accusations vs. Marcos Jr.
Ombudsman Boying Remulla claimed that the Philippine government is ready to help and protect Zaldy Co amid his accusations against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Countless Filipinos reacted to the claims of Zaldy Co that Pres. Bongbong Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez were allegedly behind a P100 billion budget insertion in the 2025 national fund. He made the accusation through a series of videos post on social media as he refused to return to the country.
Co is faced with malversation and graft charges filed against him before the Sandiganbayan. When the flood control corruption accusations against him broke out, he was already out of the country. According to him, he was allegedly instructed not to return to the Philippines and the supposed order came from Marcos Jr.
Zaldy Co also claimed that former House Speaker Martin Romualdez allegedly threatened to shoot him if he will speak. According to him, recently, they were allegedly able to talk over the phone and he warned him not to return to the country or they might hire someone to kill him.
The claims of Zaldy Co triggered the calls for Pres. Bongbong Marcos to resign. Amid the calls, the Palace claimed that resigning from his position is not an option for Marcos Jr. as well as his administration. Malacañang press officer undersecretary Claire Castro stressed that the claims of Co were not made under oath. There are calls for the former House member to return to the country and testify under oath.
Recently, amid the calls for Zaldy Co to return to the Philippines and testify under oath as well as his claim that he is allegedly worried about his safety. Ombudsman Boying Remulla claimed that the Philippine government is ready to help and protect Co if he decides to return to the country. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, the country’s chief graft-buster stressed that he needs witnesses who are alive.
“I need witnesses alive. Kung meron siyang ibang kinatatakutan, sabihin niya, tutulungan namin siya. We don’t want anyone to be gunned. Siyempre sa’min ibibintang pag may mangyari,” the Ombudsman said.
Furthermore, based on the report, Ombudsman Boying Remulla also claimed that they can make sure that there will be proper arrangements so Zaldy Co will not be exposed to peril. He also claimed that they can have everything video-taped with a body camera.
“We can go to the tube and pick him up and bring him through a route with a waiting vehicle where somebody he trusts is there, and we can put it all on video, everything happening. We can have body-worn cameras the whole time,” Remulla said.
Zaldy Co has yet to react to the statement of Ombudsman Boying Remulla. Previously, Malacañang claimed that Zaldy Co’s remarks versus Marcos Jr. are allegedly a web of lies with no evidence.