MANILA — Former Ako Bicol Representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez of authorizing P100 billion in questionable budget allocations for public works in the 2025 national budget.
In a video released on Tuesday, Co claimed the allocations are linked to a corruption scandal involving multimillion-peso kickbacks from flood control projects. He stated that the alleged graft-tainted “insertions” were directed by the President and Romualdez.
The accusations arose during investigations into the alleged misuse of funds intended for flood control initiatives.
The Presidential Palace dismissed Co’s allegations as “pure hearsay,” saying the claims lack evidence. Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability in government spending and urged Co to present concrete proof.
Romualdez, now House Majority Leader, has not publicly commented on Co’s statements.
The Office of the Ombudsman continues to investigate the corruption allegations, while the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has launched an internal review of the budget allocations mentioned by Co. The DPWH said it will cooperate with any official investigations.