NO ONE HAS ever dared directly drag President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. into the flood control mess, except for a person who worked directly under his supervision.
In an interview with the GMA Integrated News, ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. Antonio Tinio specifically hinted at former Presidential Legislative Liaison Officer Adrian Bersamin.
According to Tinio, it was actually Batangas 2nd District Rep. Leandro Leviste who had an actual encounter with Bersamin, who allegedly presented screenshots of the exchange of text messages with the President.
The text messages, Tinio added, is a confirmation that the President actually benefitted from the flood control scandal — in the form of kickbacks, with Bersamin acting as “bagman.”
The militant congressman then cited a July 10, 2025 text of Bersamin — “Complete na po ang 7.122 delivery sa akin. Tapusin ko po ang computation today,” in reference to “second quarter combined commissions” that was supposedly delivered to the Narra residence.
According to Tinio, the next text message came from the President who allegedly replied: “Sasabihan ko si Jun Baris.
CONNECTING DOTS
In November last year, fugitive former Ako Bicol partylist Rep. Zaldy Co released a series of videos where he tagged the President as the “brain” behind the scheme.
Co likewise claimed that it was Marcos who ordered a P100 billion budget insertion. Aside from the directive, Co claims to have received a list of projects which Bersamin claimed came directly from the President.
“Si Bersamin ang tinuro noon ni Zaldy Co na nagkumpirma na may pinapa insert si Pangulo Marcos na P100 billion sa budget. Si Bersamin din daw ang nagbigay kay Co ng listahan ng mga proyekto na mula mismo kay Pangulo.”
Malacanang has since denied Co’s allegations, but for Tinio there’s a way to validate Co and Bersamin’s stories. His suggestion — cross-match Co and Bersamin’s claim with that of the testimony of former Public Works and Highways Secretary Roberto Bernardo.
During a senate hearing, Bernardo claimed that he completed in March last year the “delivery of around P2 billion stuffed in an armored van.”
MORE PEEPING TOMS
Tinio said the text messages were also obtained by Caloocan (2nd district) Rep. Edgar Erice and other congressmen to whom Leviste also showed the screenshots.
When asked if he’d allow the media to take a peep into the supposed screenshots, Tinio deferred to Leviste to explain how the exchange of text messages landed in his hands.
When GMA Integrated News tried to get confirmation from Leviste, he posted in his FB post that “Panoorin na lang niyo ang mga pahayag ni Tinio at Erice.”
Erice for his part readily confirmed that it was Leviste who showed them the text exchanges between Marcos and Bersamin — “Nnatakot si Bersamin na maging fall guy kaya gumawa ito ng affidavit sa bahay ni Leviste sa Batangas. Leviste even showed CCTV footage of the arrival of Bersamin in his house in Taal, Batangas along with some lawyers.”
POTENTIAL EVIDENCE
While screenshots alone are not admissible in court, Makabayan bloc hinted at finding ways as to how the exchange of text messages between Bersamin and Marcos could be used as evidence.
Rep. Sarah Elago of Gabriela Women’s party challenged the Office of the Ombudsman and the entire House of Representatives to go over the new twist — “Itong bagong development na ito, seryoso at hindi dapat ipagwalang bahala.”
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro belittled the supposed development which she claimed “is just another fodder for the ouster of the President.”
Similarly Rappler wrote that Tinio, is the principal endorser of the dismissed impeachment complaint against Marcos Jr., who admitted seeing the “communication records” proving that the chief executive had direct knowledge of the kickback scheme that led to the flood control corruption scandal.
JUNKED COMPLAINT
One of the accusations in the petition endorsed by Makabayan was that Marcos had direct personal knowledge of the modus, citing the video statements of former House budget chairperson Zaldy Co and the testimony of former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, among others.
Rappler also reported that “records of communications between Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin and President Marcos from December 2024 to July 2025 included a message dated March 24, 2025, regarding the receipt of an P8-billion delivery from Bernardo that was relayed to the President, along with the President’s acknowledgment or reply of ‘OK,’”
“This primarily included expenses for candidates supported by the President in the last election, as well as spending for election-related TV advertisements, a P6-million payment to a foreign pollster, Peron, who was used by Malacañang as an election consultant, and P68 million as a talent fee for a performer used by the administration during the campaign,” Tinio said.
MESSAGE TIMELINE
Tinio added that the communications continued until July 2025.
“On July 10, Bersamin conveyed that he had a P2-billion delivery for the President at the Narra residence in Forbes Park. The President replied, ‘I’ll inform Jun Baris.’ This was July 10. The President appears to have been receiving kickbacks just days before he went to Congress, where he stood before the chamber and said, ‘Have some shame.’ So, who, exactly, should be ashamed?” Tinio said.
Baris at one point served as Marcos’ head of security.
“In short, there is strong evidence supporting the allegation that the President knew — and knew very well — about the corruption in flood control projects, directly took part in it, and received kickbacks from it,” Tinio said.