Former Congressman Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co has finally spoken out after over a month of silence amid allegations that he made last-minute insertions to the 2025 national budget, contributing to the unfolding flood control corruption case. In his first statement since resigning from Congress, he alleges that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ordered him to make the budget insertions.
On Friday, November 14, Co posted a video to social media addressing the corruption allegations made against him. “Matagal akong hindi nagsalita dahil may direktang utos sa akin: ‘wag nang bumalik ng Pilipinas at manahimik na lamang,” he said.
Co claims he left the country on July 19 for a medical check-up and planned to return after Marcos’ State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the end of the month. “Pero habang papauwi na ako, tinawagan ako ni dating Speaker Martin Romualdez at sinabihang, ‘Stay out of the country. You will be well-taken care of, as instructed by the president,’” said the former chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations.
He said that, believing Romualdez’s promise, he did not return to the Philippines, and that he did not know he would be made a scapegoat or “panakip-butas” in the administration’s anti-corruption efforts.
“Ngayon, hindi na ako mananahimik. Ilalabas ko ang lahat ng katotohanan. May resibo, may ebidansiya, at may pangalan.”
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Co said that Budget Secretary Amenah “Mina” Pangandaman called him when the bicameral process started in 2024. “Ang sabi niya, katatapos lang ng meeting niya, ni pangulo, at may instructions na mag-insert o mag-pasok ng P100 billion worth of projects sa bicam.” Adrian Bersamin, an undersecretary at the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) who was also said to be at the same meeting, allegedly confirmed this to him.
The ex-legislator said he then called Romualdez to report the order to him. “Ang sabi niya sa akin, ‘What the president wants, he gets.’”
Pangandaman then allegedly set a meeting with Co, Bersamin, Romualdez, and Justice Undersecretary Jose “Jojo” Cadiz Jr. There, Co said Bersamin handed him a document listing the projects to insert in the national budget, allegedly from Marcos.
“Kaya nagtataka ako kung bakit sinasabi ng pangulo na hindi niya kilala ang budget,” he said.
The video says that a second part will follow. Co also posted photos of a document listing the projects that Marcos allegedly ordered him to include in the national budget.
As of this writing, none of the public officials mentioned have addressed Co’s accusations.
