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Co claims he was ordered to deliver P2 billion monthly “SOP” from 2022-2025 for Romualdez and Marcos

Vivienne Gulla

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Former House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Zaldy Co claimed that Leyte 1st District Representative and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez ordered him to deliver P2 billion monthly “SOP” from 2022 to 2025.</p><p>In a video released on Co’s social media page on Monday, the former congressman said Romualdez allegedly told him the amount was for then House Speaker and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</p><p>In compliance with the supposed directive, Co claimed he was able to deliver a total of more than P55 billion, but denied he pocketed any amount.</p><p>“Noong 2022, kakaupo ko palang bilang Chairman ng House Committee on Appropriations, sinabi na agad sa akin ni Speaker Romualdez na kailangan ko makapag-deliver ng P2 billion kada buwan,” the former congressman said.</p><p>“Umabot sa mahigit P55 billion plus ang naihatid sa bahay ni dating Speaker Martin Romualdez. Madalas hindi nabubuo ang hinihinging P2 billion bawat buwan ni Speaker, kaya iyan ang final total. Ang sinabi mismo ni Speaker Martin sa akin na hati sila ni Pangulong Marcos sa perang ‘yun,” he added.</p><p>“Gusto ko pong linawin, hindi ako nakikialam sa mismong proseso ng paghatid. Dumaan lang po sa akin ang pera, na agad idine-deliver kay Speaker Romualdez. Ako lang po ang nagko-confirm sa text kay Speaker, kapag nadala na ang pera sa bahay niya. At lahat ng ito mula sa unang utos noong 2022 hanggang sa huling delivery noong 2025,” Co alleged.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/24/-bakit-ka-nagtatago-marcos-says-zaldy-co-claims-mean-nothing-while-he-s-in-hiding-1547">‘Bakit ka nagtatago?’: Marcos says Zaldy Co claims ‘mean nothing’ while he’s in hiding</a></div><p>Co claimed that days after Romualdez issued the directive on SOPs, he received a call from then DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, who sent former DPWH District Engineer Henry Alcantara to his office.</p><p>During the meeting, Alcantara supposedly discussed the “share” of certain officials from DPWH’s infrastructure projects, where 22% allegedly went to Romualdez, 2% to Bernardo, and 1% to Alcantara.</p><p>“Makalipas ang ilang araw, tumawag sa akin si Usec. Bernardo. Sabi niya, kailangan ng tulong ng Bulacan sa problema nila sa baha. Pinapunta niya sa opisina ko sa Kongreso si DPWH District Engineer Henry Alcantara,” Co narrated.</p><p>“Sa naging meeting namin ni Alcantara, siya mismo ang nag-offer kung paano ang hatian sa mga proyekto ng DPWH: 22% para kay Speaker Romualdez, 2% para kay Usec. Bernardo, at 1% para sa kanya,” he added.</p><p>“Doon po nagsimula ang tinatawag nilang deliveries. Ang sistema po ay ganito. Ang mga tao ni Henry Alcantara ang nakikipag-ugnayan sa mga tao ko na sina Paul Estrada at Mark (Tinsay?) Sila ang tumatanggap ng pera mula sa mga tao ni Alcantara. Minsan sa bahay ko sa Valle Verde, minsan naman sa BGC parking,” Co claimed.</p><p>“Pagkatapos nilang makuha ang pera, sila Mark at Paul naman ang nag-aayos o nakikipag-coordinate sa tauhan ni Speaker Martin Romualdez na si Jocelyn Sireño para sa pagde-deliver ng male-maletang pera patungo sa bahay ni Speaker. Una, sa North Forbes Park sa Mckinley Drive, at nang lumipat siya...sa South Forbes Park,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/15/some-dates-of-co-s-supposed-cash-deliveries-contradict-narrative-on-budget-insertions-lacson-1600">Some dates on Zaldy Co’s supposed cash deliveries &#x27;contradict&#x27; his narrative, Lacson says</a></div><p>Co released a list of dates and amounts of supposed “cash out” deliveries, along with photos of luggage.</p><p>According to the list, P55.4 billion were allegedly paid to “R” from September 2022 to August 2025, and an additional P1 billion were allegedly paid to “PBBM c/o Usec. Cadiz” in two tranches in December 2, 2024 and December 5, 2024.</p><p>“Noong November 2024, habang nasa proseso kami ng pagtatalakay ng budget, nakipag-meeting sa amin ni Speaker Martin si Usec. Jojo Cadiz. Sabi niya, masama raw ang loob ni Pangulong Marcos, wala raw siyang natatanggap na remittance,” Co claimed.</p><p>“At dahil laging napapagalitan si Speaker Martin ng Pangulo mula Setyembre hanggang November, inutusan niya ako na mag-deliver ng P1 billion para kay BBM. Ayon pa kay Usec. Jojo, nang ipaalam niya ito sa Pangulo, ang utos sa kanya ng Pangulo ay mag-ingat at siguraduhing si Usec. Jojo lang ang maghahatid,” he added.</p><p>“Ang instruction sa akin ni dating Speaker Martin Romualdez ay dalihin sa .... South Forbes Park at ibigay kay Usec. Jojo Cadiz, dahil ito raw ang drop-off point na malapit sa bahay ng Pangulo. Sinabi rin po sa akin Speaker Martin Romualdez na si PBBM ang nag-utos sa kanya na bilhin ang bahay .... para gamitin bilang bagsakan at imbakan ng pera mula sa mga SOP collection at deliveries na para sa Pangulo,” Co said.</p><p>The former congressman claimed he personally delivered the two tranches totaling P1 billion SOP to a residence in South Forbes Park.</p><p>“Noong December 2, 2024, personal kong idineliver ang P200 million kay Usec. Jojo Cadiz sa .... South Forbes Park. Ayon sa kanya, dadalhin daw niya ito sa bahay ng Pangulo sa ..... South Forbes Park,” Co said.</p><p>“Kasunod  nito, noong December 5, 2024, muli akong nag-deliver ng P800 million sa parehong address at Usec. Jojo Cadiz pa rin ang tumanggap. Sabi niya, iyon naman ay dadalhin sa bagong bahay ng Pangulo sa South Forbes Park.” he added.</p><p>“Sa kabuuan, P1 billion pesos ang personal kong naihatid. Ako mismo ang nagbigay ng pera kasama ang aking driver at mga tauhan, at lahat ito ay base sa direktang utos ni Speaker Martin Romualdez. At diyan po nabuo ang kabuuang halaga P56 billion na ipinadala mula 2022 hanggang 2025. Pero kahit na nai-deliver na ang P1 billion para kay Pangulong Marcos, at kahit na naisama na rin sa 2025 budget ang P100 billion insertion sa pamamagitan ng bicam committee, ayon mismo sa utos ng Pangulo, nagagalit pa rin daw si BBM,” Co noted.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/14/-pure-hearsay-malaca-ang-disputes-zaldy-co-s-accusations-vs-marcos-pangandaman-1731">‘Pure hearsay’: Malacañang disputes Zaldy Co’s accusations vs Marcos, Pangandaman</a></div><p>He further claimed that the 2026 national expenditure program also contained alleged flood control insertions.</p><p>“Mula 2022 hanggang 2025, ang kabuuang pera na dumaan sa akin para ibigay kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos at kay dating Speaker Martin Romualdez ay umabot sa P56 billion at hiwalay pa diyan ang P100 billion insertion ng pangulo sa 2025 budget, pati narin ang P97 billion flood control insertion na inilagay sa NEP ng 2026 National Budget ,” Co said.</p><p>ABS-CBN reached out to Romualdez for comment, but he has yet to respond.</p><div> </div><div><strong>TERRORIST?</strong></div><p>Co alleged that the administration plans to accuse him of being a terrorist to supposedly silence him.</p><p>“Papalabasin ng administrasyon na ako ay isang terorista sa loob at labas ng Pilipinas. Para mailibing ako kasama ang katotohanan, kahit saan man ako pumunta,” he claimed.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MARCOS JR.: COME HOME, PROVE ALLEGATIONS</strong></div><p>Marcos Jr. on Monday dared Co to return to the Philippines and prove his allegations.</p><p>“Look at the quality of his statements… Mahaba na ang usapan natin tungkol sa fake news. Anyone can go online and make all kinds of claims and say all kinds of things, paulit-ulit, and it means nothing,” the President told reporters in a press conference in Malacañang.</p><p>“For it to mean something, umuwi siya dito, harapin niya ‘yung mga kaso niya. Sabihin niya. Malalaman naman ng tao yan. Patunayan niya, but come home,” he said.</p><p>“Bakit ka nagtatago sa malayo? Ako nga hindi ako tatago. Kung mayroon kang akusasyon sa akin, nandito ako. Gawin niya ang pareho para patas naman,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/24/-bakit-ka-nagtatago-marcos-says-zaldy-co-claims-mean-nothing-while-he-s-in-hiding-1547">‘Bakit ka nagtatago?’: Marcos says Zaldy Co claims ‘mean nothing’ while he’s in hiding</a></div><p>Co left the country in mid-2025 for a scheduled medical leave, but the former House Appropriations Committee chairperson has since refused to return to the Philippines after he was accused of amassing ill-gotten wealth through billions-worth of substandard flood control projects.</p><p>Earlier this month, Marcos Jr. said Co’s passport would be “immediately” canceled as soon as criminal charges are filed against the former lawmaker.</p><p>Days after, Co released a series of videos tagging Marcos Jr., Romualdez and several Cabinet members in the alleged mangling of the 2025 national budget to insert <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/14/zaldy-co-breaks-silence-on-flood-control-mess-1214">P100 billion</a> worth of projects where they could all earn billions in kickbacks.</p><p>The President and his camp have <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/15/palace-zaldy-co-s-claims-are-inconsistent-contradictory-1828">denied </a>the allegations, saying that it bears no weight unless the allegations are done under oath.</p><p>Co’s statements, however, have triggered the removal of then-Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and then-Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman from the Marcos Jr. Cabinet after their names were dragged into the controversy.</p><p>Both Bersamin and Pangandaman have belied Co’s claim.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/21/arrest-warrant-out-for-zaldy-co-others-tagged-in-flood-control-mess-marcos-jr-1635">Arrest warrants out for Zaldy Co, others tagged in flood control mess — Marcos Jr.</a></div>

<p>Former House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Zaldy Co has claimed that Leyte 1st District Representative and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez ordered him to deliver P2 billion monthly “SOP” from 2022 to 2025.</p>

Former House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Zaldy Co has claimed that Leyte 1st District Representative and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez ordered him to deliver P2 billion monthly “SOP” from 2022 to 2025.

Co claims he was ordered to deliver P2 billion monthly for Romualdez, Marcos

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Co claims he was ordered to deliver P2 billion monthly for Romualdez, Marcos

Vivienne Gulla,

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 24, 2025 05:18 PM PHT

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Updated November 24, 2025 06:14 PM PHT

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Zaldy Co

House of Representatives

Martin Romualdez

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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