THE COUNTRY’S MOST popular fugitive doesn’t seem to run out of “dosiers” against the administration where he once part of.
In what looks more like a never-ending saga, former Ako Bicol partylist Rep. Zaldy Co has started pointing his gun at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s wife Liza and brother-in-law Martin Araneta.
Co particularly tagged the First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos as the head of a syndicate behind smuggling, hoarding and price manipulation of the country’s supply and pricing of rice and onions, even as he described her brother Martin as the cartel operator
According to the former congressman, the First Lady controls the rice imports while her brother Martin Araneta was pulling the strings on onion imports.
MARTIN ROMUALDEZ TOO
The cast however is not limited to Liza and younger brother Martin, says Co who also went to drag former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Agriculture Secretary Francis Tiu-Laurel.
Co accused Romualdez of protecting the Araneta siblings from being exposed during congressional inquiries into agri-smuggling. Tiu Laurel, Co claimed, covered for them (Liza and Martin Araneta) while consumers get hit by high food costs.
Co said when costs reached P600 per kilo instead of the usual P80 in 2022, the House investigation into onion prices was abruptly halted because the First Lady contacted Romualdez to halt the probe.
“Doon lumabas ang pangalan ni Martin Araneta bilang isa sa mga nasa likod ng kontrol sa importasyon ng sibuyas,” he averred.
“Pero hindi po natuloy ang imbestigasyon, ang sabi ni Speaker tinawagan daw siya ni First Lady Liza Marcos at pinatigil ang imbestigasyon kaya walang natuloy at walang naparusahan. Dahil kontrolado pala ng kapatid ng First Lady ang importasyon ng sibuyas,” he added.
WORSE RICE SITUATION
The rice situation isn’t much better. Despite his push in 2023 to import 13 million metric tons and lower tariffs to make rice more affordable, prices continued to skyrocket, Co said.
A House investigation into rice imports was also blocked after a confidential report linking the First Lady to the rice importers, Co said, adding that it was Laurel who showed the supposed confidential report.
“Nakasaad dito na si First Lady Liza Marcos mismo ang may hawak sa mga rice importers.”
“Ayon kay Sec. Laurel maapektuhan daw ang First Lady kung itutuloy ang imbestigasyon dahil kasama raw nila sa Vietnam visit ang ilang importer ng bigas at nag-dinner pa raw sila Doon,” he said.
The President’s eldest son, Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, called to halt the House inquiry, according to Co.
“At noong araw ding yun, tumawag si Cong. Sandro Marcos kay Speaker Romualdez upang ipatigil ang House investigation tungkol sa bigas as instructed ng Pangulo. Magkasama kami ni Speaker Martin Romualdez ng tumawag si Cong. Sandro Marcos.”
LAUREL BERATED TOO?
Co also recounted the manner then House Speaker Romualdez scolded Tiu-Laurel during a meeting held at the Manila Polo Club. He claimed that the agriculture secretary was berated for releasing the confidential report that linked the First Lady to “rice smuggling.”
But instead of reasoning out, Tiu-Larel , according to Co, apologized to Romualdez — “Humihingi ng paumanhin si Sec. Laurel Tiu at sinabi niyang pasensya na masyado akong naive.”
“Doon namin naintindihan kung bakit kahit ibinababa ang import tax ng bigas mula 35 percent to 15 percent ay hindi pa rin bumababa ang presyo sa merkado dahil pala sa dami ng SOP at remittance na ipinapasa sa bawat transaksyon,” he added.
‘DIVIDEND’ FROM SUGAR
Co also spilled the beans about the alleged ‘SOP collections” from sugar. Romualdez allegedly told him that the President cried SOS to cover campaign expenses for both national and local candidates in the last polls.
Co added that Romualdez reported “SOP collections” at the Bureau of Customs totaling P11 billion, along with P9 billion from sugar, which he alleged is being divided among only five companies to control sugar prices in the market.
Laurel, in a Facebook post, dismissed allegations made by Co as “total baloney” and “a script fit for Netflix.”
Co’s detailed accusations linked administration figures to supposed irregularities in the price and import manipulation of rice, sugar, onions, and fish.
DA CHIEF’S CLARIFICATION
Tariff Reduction Discussions was not his suggestion alone but that many sectors pushed for it.
Co’s Recommendation was for “zero tariff, not 15%.”
During the House investigation, Laurel did not send confidential messages to lawmakers to stop the rice-importation probe.
The DA chief made these remarks in a text message and Viber message to several news outlets on Wednesday, November 26, 2025.