Ex-Congressman Zaldy Co Alleges Marcos Ordered P100-B Budget Insertions, Fears for His Life

Former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co.

Ex-Congressman Zaldy Co Alleges Marcos Ordered P100-B Budget Insertions, Fears for His Life

By Bing Jabadan – TheNationWeek.Com | November 14, 2025

MANILA, Philippines – In a stunning development, embattled former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co has broken his silence, accusing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of ordering a P100-billion budget insertion into the bicameral version of the 2025 national budget.

The explosive allegations, delivered in a video statement released to the media, mark Co’s first public appearance since being implicated in a flood control scandal and accusations of prior budget insertions.

Co claims the Marcos administration is now leveraging the full power of the state to silence him, fearing he will be made a scapegoat in the government’s anti-corruption campaign.

“The administration is using all the resources of the country to silence me,” Co said in the video.

“That he will shoot me if I talk and gagamitin ako bilang panakip butas sa kanilang kampanya laban sa korapsyon.” (They are using the entire resources of the country to silence me. That he will shoot me if I talk and use me as a scapegoat in their campaign against corruption.)

Co further alleges that the P100-billion allocation was earmarked for infrastructure projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and for unprogrammed funds.

He claims these allocations were discussed with Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Ameenah Pangandaman, Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin, and Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Jose Cadiz.

In the nearly six-minute video, Co asserts that former House Speaker Martin Romualdez instructed him to leave the country, promising he would be “taken care of” on the President’s orders.

Co claims he initially believed these assurances and remained abroad, only to discover he was being portrayed as the central figure in the controversy.

“Stay out of the country. You will be well taken care of, as instructed by the president. Noon naniniwala pa ako sa kanila, kaya hindi ako bumalik… Ginawa nila akong poster boy ng kanilang sariling kasinungalingan,” (I believed them then, that’s why I didn’t come back… They made me the poster boy of their own lies), Co said.

“Sana po ay hindi nila ako mapatay bago ko mailabas ang lahat… Hindi na ako mananahimik, ilalabas ko ang lahat ng katotohanan. May recibo, may ebidensiya at may pangalan,” Co vowed in the video. (I hope they don’t kill me before I can release everything… I will no longer be silent; I will release all the truth. There are receipts, there is evidence, and there are names.)

These allegations are expected to trigger a significant political storm, demanding immediate investigation and response from the Marcos administration.