NUP says Zaldy Co lying on kickback allegations vs Marcos, Romualdez

The National Unity Party (NUP), one of the dominant groups in the House of Representatives allied with the administration, has accused former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co of “lying” about his corruption claims against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and former Speaker Martin Romualdez involving billions in alleged insertions in the 2025 budget.

The party released the statement Wednesday to dispute Co’s accusations following recent developments in the Senate involving the flood control anomalies.

This includes Sen. Ping Lacson’s statement Tuesday that Marcos’ name may have been used by former undersecretaries Trygve Olaivar and Adrian Bersamin to gain leverage in the alleged kickback scheme.

“These grave allegations, if true, would constitute criminal conduct. Yet they rest entirely on Mr. Co’s statements not made under oath, uncorroborated and made while he remains outside the country and beyond the reach of lawful inquiry,” the NUP stated. “Put simply, we believe Mr. Co is lying.”

Lacson vowed to “attest” that Co’s allegations that his staff delivered suitcases of cash to the President are “absolutely untrue.”

Citing former public works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, Lacson said there are officials in Malacañang, like Olaivar and Bersamin, who “misrepresented” the President and allegedly asked Co to insert P100 billion.

“The P100 billion list is true. It was actually inserted into the bicam. But what Zaldy Co posted on social media, that he delivered P25 billion representing the 25 percent commission allegedly for the President, I will attest is not true,” the senator said in Filipino.

The NUP said Co’s allegations against Marcos are merely designed to deflect liability for his own wrongdoing and shift the blame upward amid growing pressure for him to account for his actions.

“The growing inconsistency and improbability of his accusations are steadily coming to light with recent developments,” the statement reads. “Thus, unless Mr. Co appears before the proper authorities, testifies under oath, and produces verifiable proof, his statements are not acceptable and cannot be regarded as truth.”

The party also joined calls for Co to return to the Philippines to submit his affidavit to the proper legal channels, saying his resistance raises questions about the motive and veracity of his video exposé.

The NUP likewise advised the Independent Commission on Infrastructure “to exercise judicious discernment in its investigation and focus resources on allegations that can be properly scrutinized, tested, and cross-examined, rather than on claims unsupported by credible or verifiable evidence.”

“It would be a grave miscarriage of justice to pursue investigations based solely on unverified allegations made by an individual who is himself under investigation by the Ombudsman, refuses to face legal scrutiny, and whose accusations lack supporting evidence,” the party said.

Co chaired the powerful House Committee on Appropriations in the 19th Congress but resigned shortly after the 2025 General Appropriations Act was enacted, citing medical concerns.

He alleged that Marcos was the architect behind the P100 billion in insertions in this year’s budget, of which P56 billion purportedly went to the President and the former speaker.

He claimed he only complied with the President’s directive but did not receive a cent from the alleged kickbacks.

According to Co, everything in the budget, including the massive cuts to relevant agencies’ funding, would not have materialized without Marcos’ approval.

As chairman of the appropriations panel, he said he consulted Romualdez regarding Marcos’ demands and was told: “We can’t do anything about that.”

Marcos countered he “won’t dignify” Co’s allegations, while Romualdez said his conscience “remains clear” and the accusations of his former ally “do not hold water in the court of law.”