Jamaine Punzalan

Senator Imee Marcos interpellates during  the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects on Thursday, September 18, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

FLOOD CONTROL PROBE

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177251263637620250918-senate-flood-control-imee-marcos-JC0968.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator Imee Marcos interpellates during  the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects on Thursday, September 18, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Imee Marcos said Tuesday the Senate had a “duty” to look into the allegations of 18 supposed former military men who claimed to have made cash deliveries  to various personalities for former lawmaker Zaldy Co. </p><p>“This is not about whether the affidavits of the eighteen former members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines deserve to be dignified. When accusations of such seriousness are made under pain of perjury, the duty of our institution is not to ignore them, but to examine them,” Marcos said in a statement. </p><p>&quot;Indeed, the claim that 805 billion pesos of physical cash passed through a single person in a span of just two years is incredible. However, precisely because there are doubts as to the veracity of the claim, then all the more reason to allow the affiants to fully explain and substantiate their allegations under scrutiny,” she said.</p><p>Senate President Pro Tempore and Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chair Panfilo Lacson on Monday expressed skepticism over the allegations.</p><p>But Marcos argued that an inquiry protects “not only the public interest, but also the reputations of those accused.” </p><p>&quot;Should the investigation ultimately reveal that the allegations are fabricated, then justice equally demands that those who maliciously dragged the names of others into controversy be held accountable. The Senate should not allow the reputation of several of its members, including the Senate President himself, to be besmirched, if such is the case,” Marcos said. </p><p>“Whether the allegations are proven true or exposed as false, truth can only emerge through investigation. The question therefore remains: why should there be any fear of an inquiry?” she added. </p><p>On Monday, Lacson in a privileged speech asserted that “while every imputation of a crime warrants our attention, none deserves our blind deference.” </p><p>“In the same manner that everyone has a right to be heard, it is not a license to mislead. Hence, while I reserve judgment on the merits of the testimonies, I am duty-bound to raise questions of logic and- at the very least -- basic mathematics,” Lacson said.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/2/lacson-questions-claims-of-zaldy-co-s-former-employees-1852">Lacson questions claims of Zaldy Co&#x27;s former employees</a></div><div><iframe width="1128" height="635" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3TOXUCojOMc" title="Bakit hindi iimbestigahan ng Blue Ribbon ang sinabi ng 18 &#x27;ex-Marines,&#x27; ayon kay Ping | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Lacson maintained doubts on whether the claims made were even physically possible.</p><p>&quot;As earlier computed by the late Senator Ramon Revilla Sr., and further corroborated by Mr. Curlee Discaya during one of our BRC hearings, one million pesos approximately weighs one kilogram. Basically, this means that the two executive assistants of Zaldy Co, assisted by 18 ex-military personnel and other unnamed personalities, received, unloaded, repacked and reloaded and moved 805,000 kilograms or 805 metric tons in paper bills over a certain period of time,&quot; the senator pointed out. </p><p>&quot;And this does not include yet the weight of the packages themselves. Thus we need to add around 53,600 kilograms or 53.6 metric tons, representing the combined weight of at least 13,400 large, empty ‘maletas’ or suitcases to accommodate P805 billion, with the assumption each was made of soft-sided nylon or polyester materials each weighing around four (4) kilograms,&quot; he continued. </p><p>&quot;Let’s try to imagine the processes involved in the preparation and distribution of this cash. Suppose that the executive assistants or trusted personnel of Zaldy Co, named Mark Ticsay and Paul Estrada, processed P500 million a day working 24/7, 365 days a year, including unloading, counting, repacking, loading, and delivering the money - this would take 5 ½ years or mid-2028 di pa sila tapos mag-deliver hanggang ngayon Mr. President, if they started in 2023; or mid-2027 if they started as early as the second semester of 2022 when then Cong. Zaldy Co took over the chairmanship of the HOR appropriations committee.&quot; </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/26/ph-marine-corps-slams-opportunistic-group-amid-bagmen-claims-1734">PH Marine Corps slams ‘opportunistic’ group amid &#x27;bagmen&#x27; claims </a></div><p>Lacson also cast doubts that cash in those sums went through Co during the period Co was chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.</p><p>&quot;Since former Congressman Zaldy Co served as Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee from July 2022 to January 2025, his supposed influence and access to the national budget – assuming he exercised full and unlimited control – were during the period 2023 and 2024, or for a full two years.  We are also saying here that P805 billion worth of paper bills were encashed from our bank reserves over the years,” Lacos said. </p><p>“According to the BSP, the total physical cash in 2024 – meaning the paper bills as well as coins that were currently held by the public and circulating in the economy, including those inside bank vaults, that year – stood at 2.7 trillion pesos. That would mean that 400 billion or half of the 805 billion out of the 2.7 trillion pesos of physical cash of 114 million Filipinos passed through a single individual, equivalent to around 15% of the total physical cash, both in circulation and those kept in all the bank vaults.” </p><p>“If their statements appear to be demonstrably false and physically impossible to accomplish, wouldn’t convening a hearing effectively validate and dignify disinformation?” he said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/28/mike-defensor-admits-helping-ex-marines-1808">Mike Defensor admits helping &#x27;ex-Marines&#x27;</a></div><p>Despite his critique of the revelations, Lacson maintained he was not disparaging the revelations.</p><p>&quot;These are not intended to disparage the testimonies of the said individuals, but rather, ensure that proper evaluation of the credibility and reliability of both the source/sources of information and the information itself adhere to rational and logical standards of believability before we take appropriate action.&quot; Lacson said. </p><p>&quot;Siguradong bibigyang-kulay na naman ng mga trolls ang mga tanong na ito. Pero isipin na lang natin: kung magagamit ang mga nasabing alegasyon bilang instrumento ng propaganda o anumang motibo, hindi ba dapat ay logical at mathematically possible man lamang ang mga akusasyon?&quot; </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/27/levi-baligod-should-bring-allegations-to-nbi-matibag-says-1720">Levi Baligod should bring allegations to NBI, Matibag says</a></div><p>Lacson&#x27;s speech was referred to the Senate Committee on Rules.</p><p>Last week, Sen. Marcos <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/25/imee-seeks-probe-into-claims-by-ex-marines-who-say-they-were-zaldy-co-s-bagmen-1303">filed a resolution </a>seeking a Senate investigation on the claims. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/25/palace-dismisses-new-bagmen-claim-as-lousy-scriptwriting-1539">Palace dismisses new &#x27;bagmen&#x27; claim as &#x27;lousy scriptwriting&#x27;</a></div><div><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CX9krI8HGXE" title="Lacson sees destabilization bid in ex-marines’ kickback claims | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Sen. Imee Marcos said Tuesday the Senate had a “duty” to look into the allegations of 18 supposed former military men who claimed to have made cash deliveries to various personalities for former lawmaker Zaldy Co.</p>

Sen. Imee Marcos said Tuesday the Senate had a “duty” to look into the allegations of 18 supposed former military men who claimed to have made cash deliveries to various personalities for former lawmaker Zaldy Co.

‘Why should there be any fear?’: Imee says Senate ‘duty’ to probe ex-Marines’ bribery claims

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‘Why should there be any fear?’: Imee says Senate ‘duty’ to probe ex-Marines’ bribery claims

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 03, 2026 12:42 PM PHT

Read More:

Imee Marcos

Senate

Ping Lacson

Marines

bagmen

bribery

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