FORMER REP. ZALDY CO of Ako Bicol is facing charges of plunder, graft, bribery, anomalous flood control project in Oriental Mindoro, and conflict of interest at the Office of the Ombudsman.
This was in connection with the firm FS CO Builders Supply. But he is not in the country at the moment, and his whereabouts is unknown. However, he has made himself very visible to the Filipino people, and more so to President Bongbong Marcos.
In a series of recorded videos, Co had accused the president and former Speaker Martin Romualdez, and some cabinet members of making “insertions” worth P100 billion in the 2025 national budget. “He also claimed that he delivered P56.4 billion in cash hidden inside pieces of luggage from 2022 to 2025 to the residences of Mr. Marcos and Romualdez.” (Inquirer)These accusations have been denied by both government officials.
‘[T]he fugitive former congressman, Zaldy Co, safely abroad in a foreign country, boldly revealed the facts of PBBM’s actual role in enabling senators like Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, Mark Villar, former senators Bong Revilla, Nancy Binay, and Grace Poe to receive kickbacks from the government’s flood-control projects.’
PAINFUL BUT TRUE
Moreover, Co also issued another video claiming that the first lady intervened to halt two separate House investigations into the sudden spike of onion prices and alleged rice smuggling. “This may be painful to hear, but this is the truth. The first family itself is involved in these corrupt systems. From the President, to the first lady, they are the ones who dictate, control and benefit from transactions that should have been for the benefit of the people.”
As expected, President Bongbong denied any wrongdoings, and even pushed back by claiming that Rep. Zaldy Co tried to blackmail him to prevent the cancellation of his (Co’s) passport. Co’s lawyer, in response, denied the president’s blackmail claim.
In short, President Bongbong and Rep. Zaldy Co, both high government officials, have been accusing each other of betraying the people’s trust, with specific actions unbecoming of their high government positions – in fact, serious actions that are clearly covered under the Anti-Graft Law.
PEOPLE’S TRUST
How are the people looking at this spectacle of two top government officials, mandated supposedly to work for their benefit, publicly accusing each other of corrupt practices and betraying the people’s trust?
The people cannot help but believe that President Bongbong and then Rep. Zaldy Co were friends, or acquaintances, before the problem of kickbacks worth millions in flood-control projects were exposed in theseparate investigations of the Committees on Good Governance of the Senate and of the House of Representatives. Both knew that flood-control projects have been among the major programs of thegovernment, given the regular yearly visits of typhoons.
Such projects requiring private contractors, selected and supervised by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), were generally recognized as needing billions of pesos to be budgeted by Congress. Both knew that the bicameral assembly, composed of selected senators and congressmen, reconcile the differences in the two versions of the yearly budget.And both knew the “insertions” made then.
In fact, President Bongbong Marcos has been approving the yearly budgets since becoming president. This means that he has approved, for all intents and purposes, the amounts for kickbacks, the money stolen eventually by the corrupt senators, congressmen and private contractors.
SAFELY ABROAD
Thus, the fugitive former congressman, Zaldy Co, safely abroad in a foreign country, boldly revealed the facts of President Bongbong Marcos’ actual role in enabling senators like Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, Mark Villar, former senators Bong Revilla, Nancy Binay, and Grace Poe to receive kickbacks from the government’s flood-control projects.
Thus, the people can only speculate, “The accusations must be true!” “Mga magnanakaw, ikulong na!” “Mga kurakot, panagutin!”