AMID WHAT LOOKED more like a scripted informal online expose last week by former Rep. Zaldy Co, persistent faces on the social media expressed doubt about the veracity of the resigned partylist congressman’s supposed “evidence” to back up his allegations.
Public clamor seeking his return has also gained traction if only to allow the Co, who is known to be an ardent political ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, to submit himself to investigations if only to ensure that whatever he said would be made under oath.
Co previously released a three-part video where he openly dragged the President and his cousin Martin into the P100-billion budget insertion in the 2025 national budget.
According to Co, who served as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee during the 19th Congress, it was Marcos who ordered the insertion of such a huge amount in the2025 national budget.
CINEMATIC STUNTS
However, Co’s nemesis at the lower House, Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco doesn’t seem convinced that the resigned partylist congressman will return to face the investigators, even as he claimed — “may pinoprotektahan mas malaking personalidad si Co dahil wala pa ring hakbang ang gobyerno para mapauwi siya ng Pilipinas.”
Tiangco, in an interview with Bilyonaryo News Channel, hinted at the need for the government to force Co to return and face investigators on his involvement in budgetary insertions for flood control projects while chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
He also belittled Co’s recent alibis– shielding himself of any crime or guilt in such insertions and for amassing wealth for his companies during the Duterte administration.
BRING HOME PROOFS
Sen. Kilo Pangilinan asked Co this morning to return to the Philippines and detail his “serious allegations” under oath in relation to the flood control scandal before investigators.
“These are serious allegations,” Pangilinan said of Co’s accusations in videos dropped last Friday.
“Hindi basta-basta dapat i-dismiss pero ang sa akin sana dito siya humarap… Para tumuloy na ‘yung proseso ng pag-iimbestiga,” Pangilinan told ANC.
In the videos, Co insisted he didn’t gain a dime from the anomalies and that he received instructions to insert P100 billion worth of projects in the 2025 national budget from the President — through Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
PROBE JUNIOR, KIN
Co, who later turned out to be a legitimate member of the powerful Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) which is staging a protest rally for transparency and accountability — also challenged the Senate and the Office of the Ombudsman to probe Marcos and Romualdez over the alleged budget insertions, as he showed suitcases supposedly containing cash to be delivered to them.
Interestingly, the suitcases he presented in his video turned out to be a “hoax” with some even bearing price tags of the mall where they were bought to be presented as his evidence.
Also, the luxury vehicles shown in his video were found to bear license plates starting with 8 (representative) and L (indicating the Davao region registry).
Both Romualdez and the President flatly denied Co’s allegations.
DEAD MAN WALKING
Co even claimed that the former speaker asked him not to return and threatened to “shoot me if I talk.”
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee conducting the flood control scandal probe, said Co’s corruption claims lack weight without oath.
Co had previously been invited to inquiries into the flood control mess but has yet to face any investigating body. He has been out of the country since July.
On Saturday, the Ombudsman also urged Co to return to the Philippines and provide evidence of his allegations rather than issue video statements that were not made under oath.
DISCERNING BLOC
Meanwhile, Pangilinan rejected the observation of some that the opposition had been quiet (based on one statement from Sen. Bato de la Rosa) following Co’s allegations.
“Hindi tayo nananahimik, tinitimbang natin nang maayos… Kasi gusto nating makuha yung sagot sa mga tanong natin, sino ba talaga ang nasa likod nito, mananagot ba ang dapat managot, nasaan ba ang ebidensya, where does the evidence lead us?” Pangilinan said.
“Pero kung hindi siya haharap maraming tanong pa ang nadagdag doon sa kanyang testimonya. So hindi tayo pwedeng basta-basta mag-conclude on the basis of itong 3 parts [na video]… We are not quiet. In fact, for the longest time, basta corruption ang issue, hindi tayo umaatras,” he assured.
CBCP RENEWS CALL
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines renewed its call for “truth, justice and due process” following Co’s allegations that Marcos was behind the flood control corruption.
The President earlier announced that suspects in the flood control scandals would be jailed “before Christmas.”