Rowegie Abanto

Rep. Elizaldy Co chairs the House Committee on Appropriations on September 14, 2022. Press and Public Affairs Bureau handout/File 



Article (news)

Marilyn Cahatol

RG Cruz

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/1757304413683cropped-Screen Shot 2025-09-08 at 12.06.21 PM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Rep. Elizaldy Co chairs the House Committee on Appropriations on September 14, 2022. Press and Public Affairs Bureau handout/File</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATED) </strong>— Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, the former chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, had proposed billions of pesos in insertions in the 2025 budget, a lawmaker alleged Monday.</p><p>Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco, during the third Senate hearing on the anomalous flood mitigation programs, accused Co of inserting P13.8 billion that included funds for flood control and other infrastructure projects in the bicameral conference committee version of this year&#x27;s budget.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/6/zaldy-co-should-clarify-ties-to-sunwest-alleged-budget-insertions-lawmaker-1218">Zaldy Co should clarify ties to SunWest, alleged budget insertions: lawmaker</a></div><p>Co is being tied to Sunwest Inc., the conglomerate that he founded and which has landed billions in government contracts.</p><p>His colleagues in the House of Representatives, which is also conducting a separate inquiry into the flood control projects, had said it would be better for Co to appear and address the allegations.</p><p>Tiangco claimed Co inserted projects totaling P3.46 billion in Abra, P3.2 billion in Occidental Mindoro, and P3.1 billion in Oriental Mindoro.</p><p>Co also inserted projects in Romblon, Bukidnon, Camarines Norte, Batangas, and Sarangani, he said.</p><div><strong>SMALL COMMITTEE</strong></div><p>Tiangco explained that the House has created a &quot;small committee&quot; to make insertions and other amendments after the 2nd reading is approved, which supposedly ends the period of amendment.</p><p>He said the small committee was composed of Co, former Senior Vice Chairman and Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo, 19th Congress Majority Floor Leader Mannix Delipe, and Minority Floor Leader Marcelino Libanan.</p><p>He said this committee, unlike the bicameral conference committee, has not left a record in the House archives about the changes it made to the national budget.</p><p>“Yung problema po dun sa apat na tao na yun, at least yung bicam po, may bicam report po yun eh. Makikita sa bicam report kung ano yung original NEP (National Expenditure Program), tapos makikita kung ano yung dinagdag or binawas, at makikita yung natirang pondo,” said Tiangco.</p><p>Tiangco said he requested the small committee’s records during the House’s first day of budget deliberation, but it has yet to provide them.</p><div><strong>‘LIMITED ROLE’</strong></div><p>In a separate statement, Libanan clarified that the small committee has a limited, temporary role in the budget process, contrary to what Tiangco mentioned.</p><p>““Pero kailangan natin ilagay sa tamang perspective ang ating paggawa ng batas … Ang function ng small committee ay tumanggap ng individual amendments para sa GAB I, at ‘yung individual amendments ipo-proseso po ng small committee at ito po ilalagay sa GAB II na aprubahan po ng plenaryo,” Libanan said.</p><p>Libanan also said the small committee was practiced in the 18th Congress and even during the Duterte administration to streamline the flood of individual amendments coming from the members of the House of Representatives.</p><p>He also emphasized that the finished product of the process is always debated, amended and approved in full view of the public.</p><p>According to Libanan, his own role in the small committee is limited, and does not give him or the minority bloc control over allocations.</p><p>“Ang role ng minority leader sa small committee ay i-collate ang mga kahilingan ng mga minority members. Sa akin po, ipina-received ko yung ating kahilingan, yung kahilingan ng mga committee members at iprinisinta ko ito kay Chairman Zaldy Co,” he said.</p><p>Libanan likewise expressed concern that misconceptions about the small committee have already distorted public opinion.</p><p>“Sana hindi magkaroon ng masamang alintana tungkol sa small committee na yan dahil nakikita naman natin transparent naman ang ginagawa dito sa Kongreso,” he said.</p><p>“Pinagbobotohan po ito sa floor. Imino-motion po ito pinagbobotohan sa floor. Lahat po ito pinagbobotohan sa floor,” Libanan said.</p><div><strong>FUNDS TRANSFERRED FROM FLAGSHIP PROJECTS</strong></div><p>Tiangco said his research showed that the budgets allocated for the insertions came from the funds supposedly allotted for the flagship projects of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</p><p>“Kala natin nung una PhilHealth lang ang binawasan, DepEd (Department of Education) lang. Later on, natuklasan ko po na yung mga flagship projects ng administration ng pangulong BBM, ay tinanggalan po nila ng pondo, para maisingit yung pondo na gusto nilang isingit doon sa bicam,” he said.</p><p>Tiangco said he also saw how the budget for 2 party-list groups grew.</p><p>&quot;Tapos po, nagulat din ako kasi, siyempre makikita ko doon sa proponents tsaka doon sa district congressmen. Nagulat po ako na for example, alam ko po kayo dating party-list your honor. Pero may dalawang party-list po doon na sa bicam lang, hindi ko alam sa small committee kung nadagdagan sila 2 billion.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Ako-Bicol at BHW po. Ang alam ko po your honor ang party-list congressman ang allocation po yata kung hindi ako nagkakamali but I’m sure you know better is 100 – 150 million [pesos] lang.&quot;</p><div><strong>PARADA AND SAGASA</strong></div><p>Tiangco explained that the insertion of flood-control projects came with the “parking” and “sagasa” fees.</p><p>Parking fees, or parada, he said, is when the district congressman allowed the favor of insertion.</p><p>&quot;Nakiusap ka sa district congressman, pumayag yung district congressman,&quot; he said.</p><p>Sagasa, meanwhile, is when the district congressman does not have a choice about the insertion.</p><p>“Madidinig mo sa congressman eh, ‘Nasagasaan kami.’ ‘Paano naman kayo nasagasaan?’ ‘Eh binatuhan kami ng pondo na hindi naman namin alam,’” he said.</p><p>Tiangco said he was unaware of how much these fees are, saying he does not engage with the scheme.</p><p>During the same hearing, Oriental Mindoro Gov. Humerlito “Bonz” Dolor said each project entails a “parking” fee of 5 percent of its funds.</p><div><strong>&#x27;BASELESS, IRRESPONSIBLE&#x27; ACCUSATIONS</strong></div><p>In a statement, Co denied &quot;the baseless and irresponsible accusations made against me during the Senate hearing.&quot; </p><p>&quot;These unsubstantiated claims, which attempt to implicate me are not only hearsay but are also politically motivated designed to mislead the public and deflect accountability,&quot; he said. </p><p>He noted that the 2025 GAA was certified and approved by both Houses of Congress and signed by the President, who even vetoed some provisions and withheld the release of funds for projects. </p><p>&quot;However, the validity of the 2025 GAA is currently the subject of a case before the Supreme Court and the Ombudsman. For this reason, I am unable to comment on the matter to the public but reserve my right to comment on this matter, if and when, required by the courts where this matter is pending,&quot; he said. </p><p>Co is in the United States for medical treatment, House Spokesperson Princess Abante said last week. </p><p>Co&#x27;s trip is covered by a travel authority, which government officials need when leaving the country.</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><em><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/live?/C7015A7H8VM&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></em><br/></div>

<p>Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, the former chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, had proposed billions of pesos in insertions in the 2025 budget, a lawmaker alleged Monday.</p>

Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, the former chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, had proposed billions of pesos in insertions in the 2025 budget, a lawmaker alleged Monday.

Zaldy Co proposed P13.8 billion insertions for flood control, other infra in 2025 budget: Tiangco

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Zaldy Co proposed P13.8 billion insertions for flood control, other infra in 2025 budget: Tiangco

Rowegie Abanto,

Marilyn Cahatol,

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 08, 2025 11:42 AM PHT

|

Updated Sep 08, 2025 08:54 PM PHT

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Senate Blue Ribbon Committee

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Zaldy Co

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