Jamaine Punzalan

A screengrab from a video released by former Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co implicating President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez in the insertion of P100-B worth of projects in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

(Courtesy of Zaldy Co)

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><p>MANILA — Former House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Zaldy Co on Tuesday linked House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos in allegedly anomalous budget insertions — an accusation that the President’s son said was part of &quot;destabilization efforts.&quot; </p><p>In a new video posted on his social media page, Co claimed that Marcos orchestrated P9.636 billion worth of insertions in the 2023 budget, P20.174 billion in 2024, and P21.127 billion in 2025.</p><p>“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 claimed.</p><p>“Nalaman ko na lang sa mga contractor na galit na galit siya sa akin noong pinag-uusapan na ang 2025 GAA budget. Ang sabi daw niya, ipatatanggal ako at magfa-file ng maraming kaso laban sa akin, kasi kulang ng P8 billion ‘yung insertion na gusto niyang ipasok. Ang dahilan daw, 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.</p><p>But Rep. Marcos argued that “anyone can sit in front a camera from abroad and spew lies.”</p><p>The lawmaker dubbed Co as “the newly crowned champion of the DDS cabal” and said the latter’s claims were “as fantastical as they are false.” </p><p>&quot;Gusto niyang pabagsakin ang kasalukuyang administrasyon para ma-abswelto siya sa kanyang mga krimen. In fact, intel suggests he already struck a deal with those who stand to benefit from such a change,&quot; Marcos said. </p><p>&quot;Sa aking mga kababayan, si Zaldy Co po ay hindi po isang journalist o truth crusader. Siya po ay isang kriminal na umiiwas sa hustisya. Huwag po tayong magpabudol sa kanya. Hindi ito rebelasyon, ito ay destabilisasyon,&quot; he added.</p><p>Co earlier tagged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez in alleged kickbacks from insertions. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/24/co-claims-he-was-ordered-to-deliver-p2-billion-monthly-for-romualdez-marcos-1718">Co claims he was ordered to deliver P2 billion monthly for Romualdez, Marcos</a></div><p>In his newest video, Co claimed that he received direct instructions from the President not to stop his alleged budget insertions.</p><p>He claimed this happened when he met with the Marcos Jr. inside the Malacanang compound last March, where Romualdez was also supposedly present.</p><p>The resigned congressman claimed Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz arranged the meeting after the President got mad, despite Co’s supposed delivery of P1 billion in “payouts” in December 2024 and compliance with the alleged P100 billion insertion in the 2025 budget supposedly ordered by Marcos Jr</p><p>Co said he wrote the President a “confidential” letter in February 2025, where he explained that he complied with the directive allegedly relayed by then Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.</p><p>In his supposed March 2025 meeting with the President, Co said it became clear to him that Pangandaman’s instructions on the alleged P100 billion budget insertions were, as she supposedly claimed, issued by the President.</p><p>“Sa halip na itanggi o linawin niya ang tungkol sa P100 billion insertion, pinagsabihan niya (Marcos Jr.) 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 said.  </p><p>&quot;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,&quot; he added. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/24/pangandaman-removed-from-dbm-to-avoid-being-suspected-of-influencing-investigations-marcos-1755">Pangandaman removed from DBM to avoid ‘being suspected of influencing’ investigations: Marcos</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/24/marcos-says-no-bad-blood-with-bersamin-1544">Marcos says ‘no bad blood’ with Bersamin</a></div><p>He issued the statement after Malacanang tagged Co’s previous statements as “hearsay”.</p><p>Marcos Jr. on Monday claimed Co’s allegations <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">&quot;meant nothing&quot;</a> while the former lawmaker remained in hiding.</p><p>&quot;Well looking at the quality of the statements, mahaba na naging usapan natin sa fake news. Anyone can go online and say all kinds of things. It means nothing,&quot; Marcos said.</p><p>&quot;For it to mean something, umuwi siya rito, sabihin niya malalaman naman ng tao &#x27;yan. Patunayan niya. Come home, bakit ka nagtatago sa malayo? Ako hindi ako nagtatago e, kung may akusasyon sa akin, nandito ako,&quot; he said.</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><div><iframe width="1250" height="703" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oPrrneqgCh0" title="Who, how, where: Zaldy Co details alleged ‘deliveries’ amounting to P56 billion | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>Former House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Zaldy Co on Tuesday linked the President’s son House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos in allegedly anomalous budget insertions.</p>

Former House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Zaldy Co on Tuesday linked the President’s son House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos in allegedly anomalous budget insertions.

Zaldy Co tags Sandro Marcos in alleged budget insertions

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Zaldy Co tags Sandro Marcos in alleged budget insertions

Vivienne Gulla,

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 25, 2025 12:11 PM PHT

|

Updated November 25, 2025 02:27 PM PHT

Read More:

Zaldy Co

Sandro Marcos

DPWH

corruption

flood control

baha

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