Former House Member Zaldy Co Tags PBBM, Romualdez in PH Corruption Issue
ZALDY CO – The former House member accused President Bongbong Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez of P100 billion budget insertions.
Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson previously announced ahead of the November 14 Senate flood control hearing that they will no longer invite Co in the inquiry. It came just a day after Lacson claimed that they will invite the former House member to attend the hearing via Zoom.
According to Lacson, inviting Co to the Senate flood control hearing may allegedly provide him “a platform to say anything he wants even with no probative value and worse, for propaganda purposes only without any accountability for at least possible contempt citation”. The resigned Ako Bicol Partylist member is one of the then-government officials who were accused of flood control corruption.
However, even without being invited to the Senate flood control hearing, Zaldy Co aired his side through a video message posted on social media. He accused Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez of allegedly inserting P100 billion worth of projects in the 2025 budget.
“Nagsimula ito noong tumawag si (Budget) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman sa akin noong nag-umpisa ang bicam budget process last year, 2024… 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,” Co claimed.
According to Zaldy Co, he called executive secretary Lucas Bersamin to confirm the alleged instruction from Pres. Bongbong Marcos and the ES supposedly answered in the affirmative. After it, he allegedly called then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez to relay the information. Based on his post, here’s what the then-Chief of the House of Representatives said:
“Tinawagan ko po si dating Speaker Martin Romualdez at nireport ko ang instructions ng Presidente to insert the P100 billion projects. At sinabi niya (Romualdez) sa akin, what the President wants, he gets,” Co further expressed.
Previously, during an interview with the media, Marcos Jr. was asked if he thinks that Zaldy Co is the most guilty in the flood control corruption.