Zaldy Co claims Marcos administration seeks to portray him as 'terrorist' to 'bury the truth'
Resigned congressman Zaldy Co, who is accused of being involved in the flood control corruption, alleged that the government is trying to discredit him as a terrorist and to suppress the truth behind the 2025 budget insertions.
In a video published on his Facebook page, Co gave more details surrounding the 2025 budget insertions.
"Papalabasin ang administrasyon na ako ay isang terorista sa loob at labas ng Pilipinas para mailibing ako kasama ang katotohanan, kahit saan man ako pumunta. Pero mahalagang malaman ang taong bayan ang katotohanan," he said.
Co claimed that he did not receive P21 billion in kickbacks that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and ex-Department of Public Works and Highways district engineer Henry Alcantara said he allegedly pocketed.
"Wala akong matanggap na ganyang halaga," he said.
"Ang totoo, mula 2022 hanggang 2025, ang kabuuang pera na dumaan sa akin para ibigay kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos at kay dating speaker Martin Romualdez ay umabot sa P56 billion at hiwalay pa diyan ang P100 billion insertion ng Pangulo sa 2025 budget pati na rin ang P97 billion flood control insertion na inilagay sa [National Expenditure Program] ng 2026 national budget."
How deliveries were allegedly made
Co recounted that back when he was still chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Romualdez told him that he had to deliver P2 billion every month. Former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo then contacted him to ask for assistance to solve their flood problems in Bulacan.
"Pinapunta niya sa opisina ko sa Kongreso si DPWH district engineer Henry Alcantara. Sa naging meeting namin ni Alcantara, siya mismo ang nag-offer kung paano ang hatian sa mga proyekto ng DPWH—22% para kay speaker Romualdez, 2% para kay Usec. Bernardo, at 1% para sa kanya," Co said.
"Doon po nagsimula ang tinatawag nilang 'deliveries.' Ang sistema po ay ganito. Ang mga tao ni Henry Alcantara ay nakikipag-ugnayan sa mga tao ko na sina Paul Estrada at Mark Tecsay. Sila ang tumatanggap [ng] pera mula sa mga tao ni Alcantara. Minsan sa bahay ko sa Valle Verde, minsan naman sa BGC parking," he continued.
According to him, after the money was received, Estrada and Tecsay would then coordinate with Romualdez's staff, including Jocelyn Sereño, to transport the cash-filled luggage to the former speaker's house.
Co stressed that he never involved himself and that he was only a middleman.
"Umabot sa mahigit P55 billion pesos ang nahihatid sa bahay ni dating speaker Martin Romualdez. Madalas hindi nabubuo ang hinihinging P2 billion bawat buwan ni speaker kaya iyan ang final total. Ang sinabi mismo ni speaker Martin sa akin na hati sila ni Pangulong Marcos sa perang iyan," he alleged.
Co went on to recall a meeting he had with Justice undersecretary Jojo Cadiz during the national budget discussions in November 2024.
"Sabi niya, masama raw ang loob ni Pangulong Marcos, wala raw siyang natatanggap na remittance. At dahil laging napapagalitan si speaker Martin ang Pangulo mula September hanggang November, inutusan niya ako na mag-deliver ng P1 billion para kay BBM," he said.
The former congressman further claimed that Marcos had allegedly ordered Romualdez to buy a house at 30 Tamarind Street, South Forbes Park to be used as a private holding place for the cash collected.
Co allegedly personally delivered P200 million to Cadiz to the said house on Dec. 2 last year and another P800 million on Dec. 5.
"Sa kabuuan, P1 billion ang personal ko ang naihatid. Ako mismo ang nagbigay ng pera, kasama ang aking driver at mga tauhan. At lahat ito ay base sa direktang utos ni speaker Martin Romualdez. At diyan po nabuo ang kabuuang halagang P56 billion na ipinadala mula 2022 hanggang 2025," he said.
Despite the P1 billion delivered to Marcos and the P100 billion budget insertions, the president is still "angry," according to Co.
In support of his allegations, Co published pictures showing the numerous luggage allegedly filled with cash for Marcos and Romualdez.
His new statement on the corruption issue comes after the former representative implicated Marcos and Romualdez in the flood control mess in an almost six-minute video on Nov. 14.
However, Malacañang has since denied the allegations, arguing that Co was simply making up stories to evade responsibility.
The Office of the Ombudsman has now filed graft and malversation cases against Co as well as several officials of the DPWH and Sunwest Inc. on Nov. 18 in connection with anomalies in a P289 million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro. The charges involved malversation of public funds through the falsification of public documents, violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and a co-violation of Section 3(h) of RA 3019.