MANILA — Former House of Representatives appropriations committee chair Zaldy Co has again accused top government officials of manipulating the national budget, this time directly linking presidential son and House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos to what he described as years of orchestrated insertions.
In a video released on Tuesday, Co alleged that Marcos oversaw insertions amounting to P9.636 billion in the 2023 budget, P20.174 billion in 2024, and P21.127 billion in 2025.
“Lahat-lahat, ang kabuuan ay P50.938 billion. At bawat taon po, sa tuwing dumarating ang bicam budget process, lagi pong may utos si Congressman Sandro na ipasok ang mga proyekto niya,” Co said.
Co also claimed that tensions rose during budget discussions this year after contractors supposedly told him that the President’s son was upset.
“Nalaman ko na lang sa mga contractor na galit na galit siya sa akin noong pinag-uusapan na ang 2025 GAA (General Appropriations Act) budget… kasi kulang ng P8 billion ‘yung insertion na gusto niyang ipasok… may mga contractor na nakapag-advance na sa kanya at dahil hindi naipasok ang buong halaga, kailangan daw niyang magsauli sa mga ‘yon,” he added.
Co earlier accused President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez of receiving kickbacks from insertions, claiming he had been instructed to remit P2 billion monthly.
In his latest video, Co said the President himself told him not to interfere in the alleged insertions, recounting a meeting inside the Malacañang compound in March. He said the meeting was arranged by Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz and attended by Romualdez.
According to Co, the President became angry despite his supposed delivery of “payouts” in December 2024 and his compliance with what he said was a directive — relayed through then-budget chief Amenah Pangandaman — to accommodate P100 billion in insertions in the 2025 budget.
He said he had earlier sent Marcos Jr. a confidential letter in February explaining that he followed Pangandaman’s alleged instructions.
Co said that during the March meeting, it became clear to him that Pangandaman’s order came from the President.
“Sa halip na itanggi o linawin niya ang tungkol sa P100 billion insertion, pinagsabihan niya kami ni dating Speaker Romualdez, at sa akin mismo, deretsahan niyang sinabi, ‘Wag mo akong pigilan sa mga insertions ko. Wag ka nang makialam sa budget,’” Co recounted.
“Dahil sa mga binitawang salita sa akin ni BBM, naging malinaw sa akin na siya mismo ang nag-utos kila Secretary Mina Pangandaman at Usec. Adrian Bersamin na ipasok ang P100 billion worth of projects,” he added./PN
