Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Jervis Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - The country&#x27;s agriculture chief Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. refuted Zaldy Co&#x27;s allegations point by point – saying most of his statements are fabricated lies that are good for a Netflix series.</p><p>Co earlier accused First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and her brother, Martin Araneta, of allegedly being involved in the smuggling of rice and onions.</p><p>Tiu Laurel said it was Co who attempted to request a large import allocation of sugar and fish. </p><p>&quot;Basically ang hinihingi sakin ni Zaldy Co ay kung pwedeng bigyan daw ng sila ng import allocation sa sugar worth 200,000 metric tons for the year 2024. Nagulat ako, sobrang laki ng kanyang request,&quot; said Tiu Laurel Jr. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/27/house-members-deny-zaldy-co-s-claim-regarding-order-to-halt-probe-into-rice-onion-1611"><strong>House members deny Zaldy Co’s claim on order to halt probe into rice, onion </strong></a> </div><p>Co&#x27;s request was denied, he added.</p><p>Tiu Laurel Jr. also said that the First Lady never meddled in their affairs, and her name was not mentioned on the confidential report they submitted to Congress.</p><p>&quot;Ito ho ay walang katotohanan, fabricated lies po ito, napakasinungaling talaga niya. The first lady has never meddled with DA matters, hindi kailanman nakialam ang First Lady,&quot; he said. </p><p>Tiu Laurel Jr. also belied large-scale smuggling during the height of the skyrocketing onion prices.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/26/zaldy-co-implicates-first-lady-liza-marcos-in-alleged-anomalies-in-rice-onion-importation-1618"><strong>Zaldy Co links First Lady Liza Marcos to alleged anomalies in rice, onion importation</strong></a></div><p>In an earlier Congressional hearing, Tiu Laurel Jr. exposed Co&#x27;s attempt to get a big share of fish import allocations.</p><p>He said these repeated denied requests could be Co&#x27;s axe to grind against the agri chief.</p><p>&quot;Naramdaman ko na galit na si Zaldy Co sa akin, at gumagawa na sya ng hakbang to destroy my credibility. Kapit patalim na yan e, wala na mapuntahan. Tinuturo na sya. His back is against the wall,&quot; he said.</p><div> </div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>The country's agriculture chief Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. refuted Zaldy Co's allegations point by point – saying most of his statements are fabricated lies that are good for a Netflix series.</p>

The country's agriculture chief Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. refuted Zaldy Co's allegations point by point – saying most of his statements are fabricated lies that are good for a Netflix series.

'Good for a Netflix series': DA chief refutes Zaldy Co's allegations

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'Good for a Netflix series': DA chief refutes Zaldy Co's allegations

Jervis Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 27, 2025 06:14 PM PHT

Read More:

Onions

Rice

Tiu Laurel

Agriculture

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