Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Resigned congressman Zaldy Co has implicated First Lady Liza Marcos in alleged anomalies in rice and onion importation. </p><p>In a video on his social media page on Wednesday, Co claimed that Marcos tried to stop the House inquiry into soaring onion prices in 2022, on behalf of her brother Martin, who Co accused of “controlling” onion importation. </p><p>“Iba pa ang kita mula sa importasyon ng sibuyas na hawak naman ni Martin Araneta, kapatid ni First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos,” Co said. </p><p>“Kung matatandaan ninyo, noong 2022, nagkaroon po ng imbestigasyon sa Kamara na pinangungunahan ni Congressman Toto Suansing, dahil sobrang taas ng presyo ng sibuyas. Umabot ng P600 kada kilo, gayong dapat ay nasa P80 lang,” he added. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/25/zaldy-co-tags-sandro-marcos-in-insertions-mess-1211"><strong>Zaldy Co tags Sandro Marcos in alleged budget insertions</strong></a></div><p>“Doon lumabas ang pangalan ni Martin Araneta bilang isa sa mga nasa likod ng kontrol sa importasyon ng sibuyas. Pero hindi po natuloy ang imbestigasyon. Ang sabi ni Speaker, tinawagan daw siya ni First Lady Liza Marcos at ipinapatigil ang imbestigasyon. Kaya walang natuloy at walang naparusahan. Dahil pala, kontrolado ng kapatid ng First Lady ang importasyon ng sibuyas,” Co alleged. </p><p>The former congressman further claimed that House Majority Leader Son Sandro Marcos and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel sought to stop the House Quinto Comm probe into rice prices in consideration of the First Lady. </p><p>“Habang iniimbestigahan ito ng Quinta Committee na pinamumunuan ni Congressman Joey Salceda, bigla na lang itong ipinahinto ni Secretary Kiko Laurel Tiu, matapos niyang ipakita ang isang confidential report. Nakasaad dito na si First Lady Liza Marcos mismo ang may hawak sa mga rice importers. Ayon kay Secretary Laurel, maaapektuhan daw ang First Lady kung itutuloy ang imbestigasyon, dahil kasama raw nila sa Vietnam visit ang ilang importer ng bigas, at nag-dinner pa raw sila roon,” Co said. </p><p>“Noong araw ding iyon, tumawag si Congressman Sandro Marcos kay Speaker Romualdez upang ipatigil ang House investigations tungkol sa bigas as instructed ng Pangulo. Magkasama kami ni Speaker Martin Romualdez nang tumawag si Congressman Sandro Marcos. Dumating din si Secretary Laurel Tiu sa Manila Polo townhouse at doon siya pinagalitan ni Speaker dahil inilibas niya ang confidential report na nagdidiin sa First Lady sa issue ng rice smuggling. Humihingi ng paumanhin si Secretary Laurel Tiu, at sinabi niyang pasensya na, masyado akong naive,” he added. </p><p>“Doon namin naintindihan kung bakit kahit ibinaba na ang import tax ng bigas mula 35% to 15% ay hindi pa rin bumababa ang presyo sa merkado. Dahil pala sa dami ng SOP at remittance na ipinapasa sa bawat transaksyon,” Co claimed.</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"><strong>Co claims he was ordered to deliver P2 billion monthly for Romualdez, Marcos</strong></a> </div><p>He claimed that several fish importers were also complaining because only few companies supposedly control the fish imports. </p><p>“Dagdag pa po maraming importers ng isda ang nagrereklamo dahil kontrolado ito ng kaunting kumpanya lamang. Wala naman daw tax sa importation tuwing lean season, pero kahit ganoon hindi pa rin sila nabibigyan ng permit to import. Ang kakaunting kumpanya na ito lang ang nabibigyan ng permit to import. Dahil dito kontrolado din ang presyo ng isda. At ito din ang dahilan kung bakit mataas ang presyo ng galunggong,” Co said. </p><p>During a budget hearing last September, Laurel said Co previously pressured him to issue fish import allocations to companies he nominated. But the DA chief said he firmly rejected the request, which involved a massive volume of fish containers. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SOP COLLECTIONS </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Co also alleged that “SOP collections” from the Bureau of Customs and sugar companies were used to fund the administration’s campaign in the 2025 midterm elections.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/21/ici-dpwh-info-on-zaldy-romualdez-could-lead-to-graft-plunder-charges-marcos-0724"><strong>ICI, DPWH info on Zaldy, Romualdez could lead to graft, plunder charges - Marcos</strong></a></div><p>“Ngayon naman po tungkol sa kampanya nitong 2025 elections, nagkwento sa akin si dating Speaker Martin Romualdez. Kinausap daw siya ni PBBM sa Tacloban para tumulong sa gastusin ng mga kandidato mula national hanggang local candidates,” he said. </p><p>“Ang sagot ni Speaker naibigay na niya ang SOP collections sa Bureau of Customs na umabot sa P11 billion. Dagdag pa dyan, may P9 billion collection mula sa sugar, na ayon mismo sa kanya ay pinaghahatian lang ng limang kumpanya para makontrol nila ang presyo ng asukal sa merkado,” Co added. </p><div><iframe width="1100" height="619" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O2H9dVFMGxk" title="Zaldy Co accuses Liza Marcos of involvement in manipulating onion, rice prices" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘INCONSISTENCIES’ </strong></div><div> </div><p>Malacañang on Wednesday assailed the veracity of Co’s allegations, saying that the fugitive lawmaker appeared to be adjusting his script depending on recent developments.</p><p>The Palace would like to wait for Co to release all parts of his video series before releasing a new comment, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said.</p><p>“Sasagot tayo pero ang nais natin tapusin niya ang kaniyang salaysay kasi tuwing mapupuna natin ang kaniyang inconsistencies, nagbabago din siya ng statement,” Castro said in a press conference.</p><p>“Tuwing makikita natin ang inconsistencies, pati ibang mga lawyers, ibang mga eksperto… ginagamit nila sa mga susunod na videos,” she said.</p><p>Castro noted that in the first and second parts of the video, Co said he started talking to former Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman in 2024, but later on added in succeeding videos that he also had irregular transactions with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2021 and 2022.</p><p>The Palace also questioned why Co’s appearance changed between videos.</p><p>“Kung isang araw lang ito ginawa, hindi dapat nagbabago ang itsura so lumalabas na iba-ibang araw ito ginawa at lumalabas na bumabase sila sa reaksyon ng tao,” she said. </p><p>Meanwhile, Tiu Laurel said Co&#x27;s claims were &quot;fabricated lies and a story fit for Netflix.&quot; </p><p>&quot;Masamang tao talaga itong si Zaldy Co,&quot; the agriculture chief said. </p><p>Earlier this week, Marcos Jr. dared Co to prove his allegations before proper authorities in the Philippines as the former House Appropriations Committee chairman remained in hiding overseas.</p><p>Authorities issued arrest warrants against Co and several other officials last week in connection with graft, plunder, malversation and other cases linked to the anomalous construction of a flood control project in Oriental Mindoro. </p>

<p>Resigned congressman Zaldy Co has implicated First Lady Liza Marcos in alleged anomalies in rice and onion importation.</p>

Resigned congressman Zaldy Co has implicated First Lady Liza Marcos in alleged anomalies in rice and onion importation.

Zaldy Co links First Lady Liza Marcos to alleged anomalies in rice, onion importation

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Zaldy Co links First Lady Liza Marcos to alleged anomalies in rice, onion importation

Vivienne Gulla,

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 26, 2025 04:18 PM PHT

|

Updated November 26, 2025 05:08 PM PHT

Read More:

House of Representatives

Zaldy Co

Liza Marcos

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