Marilyn Cahatol

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

Izzy Lee

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758611647777cropped-Screenshot 2025-09-23 151341.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">File photo of Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATE)</strong> — Navotas Lone District Rep. Toby Tiangco on Tuesday filed an ethics complaint against Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co over his alleged insertions in the national budgets.</p><p>Tiangco in the complaint citied Co&#x27;s alleged violations of the Constitution, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for public officials, and the House Rules.</p><p>Co was the chair of the House Committee on Appropriations in the 19th Congress, when most flood control projects were inserted in the national budgets.</p><p>House Spokesperson Princess Abante earlier this month said Co is currently <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/4/rep-zaldy-co-in-us-house-spox-1345">in the United States</a> seeking medical treatment. </p><p>House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III has already <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/19/speaker-revokes-zaldy-co-s-travel-clearance-orders-his-immediate-return-1449">revoked </a>his travel clearance and ordered him to return to the Philippines &quot;within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of this notice.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ALLEGED VIOLATIONS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The ethics complaint against Co will be anchored on several allegations, according to Tiangco.</p><p>These include the absence of a small committee report, his failure to return and the possible conflict of interest arising from the alleged benefit to his company, Sunwest.</p><p>Tiangco said Co “he masterminded, tolerated and deliberately allowed last-minute insertions and realignments” in the proposed 2025 national budget, which Tiangco tagged as “scandalous, corrupt, and highly irregular”.</p><p>He questioned the supposed diversion of funds for certain foreign-assisted projects to unprogramed appropriations and the alleged absence of the minutes of the meeting or any written explanation from the small committee, which Co was part of.</p><p>“The justification for these acts remain a mystery to every member… They remain as secrets and puzzles only Representative Co can explain,” Tiangco said in his complaint.</p><p>&quot;Unang una, &#x27;yung wala &#x27;yung small committe report, so siya lang makakapagpaliwanag sa bicam. &#x27;Yung hindi niya pagbalik, &#x27;yung possible na benefit niya dun sa Sunwest,&quot; Tiangco later explained.</p><p>Tiangco previously claimed that Co acted as a proponent for <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/zaldy-co-proposed-p13-8-b-insertions-for-flood-control-other-infra-in-2025-budget-1142">₱13.8 billion</a> worth of budget insertions in the proposed 2025 national budget.</p><p>He added that he will also file a supplementary complaint based on the new statements of dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District engineer Henry Alcantara.</p><p>Tiangco was summoned by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to attend the hearing on Tuesday. He said he submitted all the evidence requested of him but did not disclose what was discussed.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/22/ici-condemns-reported-destruction-tampering-of-flood-control-documents-1521">ICI condemns reported ‘destruction, tampering’ of flood control documents</a></div><p>&quot;Ang pinakamahalaga today is &#x27;yung connection between the insertion and the kickback,&quot; he said.</p><p>He said it is now clear why it is important to identify who the budget proponent is.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung proponent napakahalaga nung role na ginagampanan. Diba sinabi na ni DE Alcantara na kapag may nainsert diba meron sila dinedeliver na amount. Nung una 20 percent, naging 25 percent. Ngayon napagdugtong ko na,&quot; he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ABSENCE</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Tiangco also called out Co’s absence from the House of Representatives due to “medical reasons” since the opening of the 20th Congress, but there is no copy of his medical certificates submitted before the lower chamber.</p><p>“Representative Co’s continued absence without justifiable cause clearly violated the norms of conduct of public officials,” the Navotas solon said.</p><p>He added that Co and his family’s “extravagant and ostentatious display of wealth” allegedly violate the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.</p><p>Tiangco further accused Co of possibly having “acquired and received personal and pecuniary interest during his incumbency as member of the House of Representatives”.</p><p>He called on the House Committee on Ethics to impose penalties/sanctions on Co.</p><p>ABS-CBN has reached out to Rep. Co for his comment.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t6deA_9qWNg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Tiangco in the complaint citied Co's alleged violations of the Constitution, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for public officials, and the House Rules.</p>

Tiangco in the complaint citied Co's alleged violations of the Constitution, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for public officials, and the House Rules.

Tiangco files ethics complaint against Zaldy Co over flood control insertions

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Tiangco files ethics complaint against Zaldy Co over flood control insertions

Vivienne Gulla,

Izzy Lee,

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 23, 2025 03:15 PM PHT

|

Updated Sep 23, 2025 07:56 PM PHT

Read More:

Zaldy Co

Toby Tiangco

House of Representatives

politics

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