Jamaine Punzalan

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<p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATED)</strong> — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday confirmed former lawmaker Zaldy Co’s claim that P100 billion was inserted into the national budget, but cleared President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the alleged kickbacks from the insertion.</p><p>Citing information from former public works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, Lacson alleged that two undersecretaries, Trygve Olaivar and Adrian Bersamin, allegedly used Marcos’ name to facilitate the budget insertions.</p><p>“Totoo yung listahan ng P100 billion. Talaga nasingit sa bicam. But yung sinasabi ni Zaldy Co on social media as posted, na nag-deliver siya ng P25 billion representing the 25 percent commission di umano para kay Presidente, that I will attest na hindi totoo. Yun talaga absolutely untrue or false,” Lacson said.</p><p>“Napag-alaman ko from Undersecretary Bernardo na may mga tao sa Malacanang — not the President, not authorized by the President — who misrepresented him. I will name some of them, Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin, he name-dropped the President, making Zaldy Co believe na utos ng Pangulo na ipasok sa bicam yung insertions na P100 billion — now, Usec Trygve Olaivar, other personalities,” he added.</p><p>“Sinong hindi maniniwala kapag Bersamin ang nagsabi na utos ni Presidente na mag-insert kayo. Now, regarding the items, may tulong po yung DPWH. I would assume Undersecretary [Cathy] Cabral, because siya naman talaga yung nag-prepare ng list, siya yung nag-consolidate to find out baka merong redundancy, merong mga hindi viable, merong repeat projects. Siya lahat yan eh. So ito yung conspiracy, Secretary Bonoan, as far as DPWH,” Lacson said.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>INSERTION BREAKDOWN</strong></div><p>Lacson added that out of the P100-billion insertion, around P81 billion worth of projects went to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) while the rest went to other agencies. </p><p>Lacson said Bernardo claimed that he handled P52 billion worth of the projects assigned to DPWH. </p><p>The senator added that it was supposedly Bernardo, not Co, who made the cash deliveries from the alleged kickbacks. </p><p>“Ang gusto ko lang i-emphasize, i-reiterate, wala pong kinalaman ang Pangulo at wala siyang natanggap ng P25 billion at wala rin delivery si Zaldy Co. Sabi nga ni Bernardo, ‘Imposible siya mag-deliver ng 25 percent kasi ako yung nag-handle, ako nag-deliver ng P8 billion. Saan kukuha ng P25 billion si Zaldy Co,’” the senator said. </p><p>“Ang nag-asikaso rin noon si  Trygve Olaivar along with Secretary Bonoan and the others, rumekta na sa mga contractor… rumekta na sa mga DE (district engineer). Hindi na niya napakialaman. Ang na-handle niya lang daw, P52 billion pesos worth of projects ng DPWH,” Lacson added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CASH DELIVERIES IN ARMORED VANS </strong></div><div><iframe width="734" height="413" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NlpHtUGM5_I" title="Lacson counters Zaldy Co, clears Marcos, names 2 officials who &#x27;misrepresented&#x27; president" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>He said Bernardo claimed that he handed Olaivar P8 billion in at least 10 deliveries. Bernardo believes  Bersamin was with Olaivar during the deliveries at a hotel, the senator said.</p><p>“‘Yung arrangement nila is may tig-isa silang armored van. May armored van si Usec. Olaivar, may armored van siya (Bernardo). Magpapark sa basement… Ida-drive yung isang van na puno ng pera, ranging from P800 million hanggang P2 billion,” Lacson said. </p><p>He said the biggest delivery allegedly coincided with the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte last March. </p><p>“Inaapura niya na si Undersecretary Olaivar, na kuhanin na kasi napupuno na at saka matagal na naka-park… Sabi ni Olaivar sa kanya, wag muna kasi magulo ngayon dahil inaaresto si dating Pangulong Duterte so naipon yung laman ng van. Sabi niya, mga P2 billion pesos. That was the single largest or biggest delivery that he made to Olaivar,” he said.</p><p>Lacson added that Bernardo told him Olaivar did not want former Public Works Secretary Manny Bonoan to know about the P52-billion insertion that went to DPWH proojects. He also disclosed the alleged involvement of former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.</p><p>“Sinabihan siya ni Usec Trygve Olaivar na si Secretary Bonoan asked Executive Secretary Bersamin several times, sino ba magpapa-facilitate nitong P52 billion? Of course, isasama sa bicam, paano ito iri-release? Sino ba magpa-facilitate? Ang sagot ni ES Bersamin sa kanya, we will take care of it. Sila na raw ang bahala kung paano aayusin yung P52 billion,” he said. </p><p>Lacson reiterated that the projects mentioned were among those that were vetoed or delayed by the President, which he believed debunked the claim that he ordered the insertion. </p><p>&quot;Kung alam ni Pangulo at siya nag-utos na mag-insert ng 100 billion sa GAA, sa bicam, bakit niya ibi-veto?” he said. </p><p>Lacson said he relayed Bernardo’s claims to the President on Monday, the same day that several Cabinet officials resigned.</p><p>“In this case…resignation is a euphemism for firing,” Lacson added.</p><p>DepEd official tagged in flood control mess resigns</p><p>&quot;And I will still strongly suggest that an investigation is in order. Because you know, you cannot, you know, just fool around and misrepresent the President… No matter how kindhearted he is, let&#x27;s not take advantage,” he said.</p><p>In a statement, Bersamin denied the allegation against him, noting that Bernardo is not a credible source of information.</p><p>“I vehemently deny the imputation against me that I said anything to Sec. Bonoan that “we will take care of it” regarding the supposed facilitation of the ₱52 billion. Bernardo could not be a credible source of relevant information  if his knowledge looks and sounds like at least triple hearsay,” he said.</p><div><strong>— Report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News </strong> </div>

<p>Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday confirmed former lawmaker Zaldy Co’s claim that P100 billion was inserted into the national budget, but cleared President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the alleged kickbacks from the insertion.</p>

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday confirmed former lawmaker Zaldy Co’s claim that P100 billion was inserted into the national budget, but cleared President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the alleged kickbacks from the insertion.

Lacson clears Marcos in Zaldy Co’s kickback claims, says two officials 'misrepresented' President

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Lacson clears Marcos in Zaldy Co’s kickback claims, says two officials 'misrepresented' President

ABS-CBN News

Published November 18, 2025 03:51 PM PHT

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Updated November 19, 2025 12:26 AM PHT

Read More:

Zaldy Co

Ping Lacson

Ferdinand Marcos Jr

Bongbong Marcos

flood control

budget insertion

kickbacks

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