US EditionFugitive Ex-Philippine Official Accuses Marcos of Ordering Bogus Projects
Elizaldy Co claims P100 billion in 2025 budget projects were inserted under orders from President Marcos Jr. and Speaker Romualdez, with some funds placed in unprogrammed Office of the President allocations.
- On November 14, 2025, Elizaldy Co, a former lawmaker and ex-appropriations chairman, alleges he inserted around P100 billion into the 2025 budget under orders he attributes to President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. and Martin Romualdez, citing a project list from Adrian Bersamin and Romualdez's alleged remark, `What the president wants, gets`.
- Budget Secretary Ameenah Pangandaman initiated the instruction during bicameral talks, Co says, recalling Malacañang meetings with Pangandaman, Bersamin, Romualdez, and a DOJ undersecretary where the order was discussed.
- Co says he directed portions into Department of Public Works and Highways accounts and Office of the President unprogrammed funds, with Adrian Bersamin confirming the project list handover meeting; implicated projects face investigation, and Co has complaints at the Office of the Ombudsman.
- At a Malacañang briefing on November 14, 2025, Acting Communications Secretary Dave Gomez, Ameenah Pangandaman, and Claire Castro denied Co's allegations, challenged him to return, and noted pending complaints at the Office of the Ombudsman.
- The Senate of the Philippines and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure have launched probes into projects with substandard materials or existing only on paper, while Co remains abroad after July 19, and the recorded statement is reportedly the first of two parts.
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Lacson doubts Co’s allegations; ex-lawmaker fires back
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Friday expressed doubts on the revelations of former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, deeming it has no “probative value”, but the resigned lawmaker urged the senator to examine the documents first. Co dropped a bombshell allegation that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wanted P100 billion worth of insertions in the 2025 national budget, an accusation the Malacañang has denied. READ: Co-confused-why-marc…
Palace dares Zaldy Co: Come home, make allegations vs Marcos under oath
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Friday, November 14, dared President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s ally-turned-accuser Zaldy Co to return to the Philippines after the former legislator accused the President of masterminding the insertion of P100 billion worth of projects in the 2025 budget. A team of three top government officials — Acting Communications Secretary Dave Gomez, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, and Palace press officer Undersecre…
Zaldy Co: Marcos, Romualdez ordered me to insert P100-B projects in 2025 budget
Embattled former lawmaker Elizaldy Co is attempting to come clean on the corruption allegations against him, admitting to inserting around P100 billion while also claiming it was done under President Bongbong Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez's orders.
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