Zaldy Co claims Sandro Marcos ordered own budget insertions
In a new video uploaded on his Facebook page on Nov. 25, resigned Ako Bicol Party-list representative Zaldy Co accused House of Representatives majority floor leader Sandro Marcos of ordering a total budget insertion of P50.938 billion from 2023 to 2025.
"Hindi lang po ang pangulo ang may insertion sa budget. Pati po si Congressman Sandro Marcos meron din pong pinapasok taun-taon," said Co, reading from a document.
"Noong 2023, may P9.636 billion; noong 2024, P20.174 billion; at nitong 2025, P21.127 billion. Lahat lahat, ang kabuuan ay P50.938 billion," Co continued. "At bawat taon, sa tuwing dumarating ang Bicam Budget Process, lagi pong may utos si Congressman Sandro na ipasok ang mga proyekto niya," he added.
According to Co, "galit na galit [si Sandro] sa akin noong pinag-uusapan na ang 2025 [General Appropriations Act] budget. Ang sabi daw niya, ipatatanggal ako at magfa-file ng maraming kaso laban sa akin kasi kulang ng P8 billion 'yung insertion na gusto niyang ipasok."
Co also released a list of Sandro's alleged budget insertions in 2024 and in 2025 on Facebook.
Allegations against President Bongbong Marcos
In the same video, Co repeated his previous accusations against President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., claiming the president himself ordered former Budget Secretary Amenah "Mina" Pangandaman and Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin to insert P100 billion worth of projects in the 2025 budget.
Co said he arrived at his conclusion after a March 2025 meeting he claimed to have happened between himself, the president, Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
"Sa halip na itanggi o linawin [ni Marcos] ang tungkol sa P100 billion insertion, pinagsabihan niya kami ni dating Speaker Romualdez. At sa akin mismo, diretsahan niyang sinabi, 'Wag mo akong pigilan sa mga insertions ko. 'Wag ka nang makialam sa budget'," Co said.
"Dahil sa mga binitawang salita sa akin ni BBM, naging malinaw sa akin na siya mismo ang nag-utos kina Secretary Mina Pangandaman at Usec. Adrian Bersamin na ipasok ang P100 billion worth of projects," Co continued.
Furthermore, Co alleged additional insertions in the 2026 budget worth P97 billion, except that this time, the insertions were supposedly added to the President's budget or the NEP 2026.
"'Yan po ang kinumpirma ni Secretary Manny Bonoan na may instructions ang pangulo na magpasok ng P100 billion ulit sa president's budget," said Co.
The resigned congressman claimed he learned about this during a meeting in May 2025 between himself, Bonoan, and Romualdez in an exclusive Makati subdivision.
Sandro Marcos rebuts
In a statement uploaded on his Facebook page, the majority leader vehemently denied Co's accusations against him.
"Anyone can sit in front of a camera from abroad and spew lies. The statements from the newly crowned champion of the DDS cabal, former Congressman Zaldy Co, are frankly as fantastical as they are false," Marcos wrote.
He also accused Co of trying to destabilize the government.
"I hope that the public can be reminded that we are talking of a person with no credibility whose vested interests are to release these videos to destabilize the government," the majority floor leader added.
"Evidently, the only path he sees for himself is one where he stirs political chaos in the hope of escaping his own legal troubles. Gusto niyang pabagsakin ang kasalukuyang administrasyon para maabswelto siya sa kanyang mga krimen," Marcos continued.
He added that Co was removed as appropriations chairman, apparently "because members caught wind of his insatiable greed and corruption."
"Sa aking mga kababayan, si Zaldy Co ay hindi po isang journalist o truth crusader. Siya po ay isang kriminal na umiiwas sa hustisya. Huwag po tayong magpabudol sa kanya."
Zaldy Co's legal woes
On Nov. 21, President Marcos announced in a video message that an arrest warrant had been issued against Co and 17 others connected to the flood control scam. The warrant stems from charges of graft and malversation filed by the Ombudsman.
Police officers have been attempting to serve the warrant against Co, but visits to his condominium unit in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and his house in Pasig City proved fruitless.
With Co and some of his co-accused still at large, Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla issued an ultimatum during a DZMM interview on Nov. 21.
Should they fail to surrender soon, “All bets are off, if they show even the slightest aggressive maneuvers or evasive maneuvers, baka magpasensyahan kami (they might really be sorry),” Remulla said.
