Jonathan Frederic De Santos

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. talks during the first meeting of his Cabinet at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room in Malacañang on July 5, 2022. Presidential Photographers Division PPD/File

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATED) </strong>— Malacañang on Friday disputed former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co’s allegation that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman ordered the insertion of P100 billion in projects in the national budget, saying the resigned congressman only made the claims to save himself from corruption allegations linked to anomalous flood control projects.</p><p>The President could have simply inserted all the projects he wanted in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) before it was submitted to Congress, Pangandaman told Palace reporters hours after Co uploaded a video on his social media account.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/14/zaldy-co-breaks-silence-on-flood-control-mess-1214"><strong>Zaldy Co breaks silence on flood control mess</strong></a></div><p>“All appropriations ordered by the President are already in the National Expenditure Program. That is why it is called the President’s budget so we reject any insinuations about it,” she said.</p><p>“The bicam (bicameral conference committee) is purely under the power of the legislature. We respect and strictly follow the budget process and all our actions are above board,” she said.</p><p>Presidential Communications Secretary Dave Gomez also denied the allegations against the President, pointing out that it was Marcos Jr. who opened investigations into anomalous anti-flood programs.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/14/flood-control-scam-individuals-facing-charges-and-actions-to-recover-public-funds-0916"><strong>Flood control scandal: Individuals facing charges and government&#x27;s bid to recover funds</strong></a></div><p>“These wild accusations are completely without basis in fact. All the charges leveled against the President are pure hearsay,” he said.</p><p>He added Co should return to the Philippines “and sign everything he said under oath with the proper judicial authorities.” </p><p>In his video statement, Co alleged that former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez — the President’s cousin — ordered him to stay out of the country amid parallel investigatiobs into how lawmakers and other government officials allegedly colluded with private contractors to siphon public funds meant for anti-flood projects.</p><p>The politician also uploaded a list of the supposed projects that Marcos Jr. and Pangandaman wanted to illegally include in the national budget.</p><p>The executive branch prepares the NEP and submits it to Congress, which reviews and revises it.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘WALANG BASEHAN, WALANG EBIDENSYA’</strong></div><p>Co is trying to save himself by namedropping the President even if he has no concrete proof, Palace Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said.</p><p>“Magtuturo ng iba pwera ang sarili niya kahit na ang ari-arian niya at ng kaniyang pamilya ay nagsusumigaw ng ebidensya laban sa kaniya,” she said.</p><p>(He will point at everyone other than himself even if he and his family&#x27;s properties are proof against him)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/5/zaldy-co-had-p4-1-b-net-worth-when-he-entered-the-house-in-2019-lawyer-2104"><strong>Zaldy Co had P4.1-B net worth when he entered the House in 2019 — lawyer </strong></a></div><p>Castro stressed that Co&#x27;s allegations are all made up.</p><p>“Walang basehan, walang ebidensya. (There is no basis, no evidence)”</p><p>Malacañang also doubted Co’s accusation that there are threats to his life and safety, adding that the Palace expects the former lawmaker to come up with more baseless accusations in the second part of his video, which he has yet to upload.</p><p>Like Gomez, Castro urged Co to come home, submit his accusations in a sworn statement, and face the allegations against him.</p><p>Co has been out of the country since mid-2025, initially for a medical leave, but the former Ako Bicol Party-list representative refused to return to the Philippines and resigned as a lawmaker shortly before the House of Representatives canceled his authority to travel.</p><p>Marcos Jr. earlier said that the government will cancel Co’s passport “immediately” once criminal cases have been filed against him.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘WALANG PANIC MODE’</strong></div><p>Meantime, Malacañang denied Vice President Sara Duterte’s claim that the administration is already paranoid because of the public’s outrage over the corruption scandal surrounding government projects.</p><p>“Walang panic mode tayong pinag-uusapan. Kailangan lang natin magkaroon ng press briefing ngayon para maipaliwanag kung sino ang nagsisinungaling,” Castro said.</p><p>(There is no panic mode. We just needed to hold a press briefing now to explain who is lying)</p><p>The President is also not worried over the mass demonstrations that the Iglesia Ni Cristo — a religious group that practices bloc voting during elections — is expected to mount over the weekend, she said.</p><p>“Alam ko na ang mga miyembor ng INC ay matatalino, makadiyos, makabayan so alam nila sino ang nagsisinungaling,” she said.</p><p>(I know that INC&#x27;s members are intelligent, godly and patriotic, so they can tell who is lying)</p><p>Aside from the INC rally over the weekend, a bigger mass protest is expected to happen on November 30 as numerous groups and ordinary Filipinos clamor for accountability in the so-called “Philippines’ biggest corruption scandal.”</p>

<p>Malacañang on Friday disputed former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co’s allegation that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman ordered the insertion of P100 billion in projects in the national budget.</p>

Malacañang on Friday disputed former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co’s allegation that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman ordered the insertion of P100 billion in projects in the national budget.

‘Pure hearsay’: Malacañang disputes Zaldy Co’s accusations vs Marcos, Pangandaman

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‘Pure hearsay’: Malacañang disputes Zaldy Co’s accusations vs Marcos, Pangandaman

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 14, 2025 05:31 PM PHT

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Updated Nov 14, 2025 06:01 PM PHT

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Zaldy Co

Amenah Pangandaman

Dave Gomez

Flood-control projects

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