Full-blown probe of Marcos pressed

The House minority bloc is escalating the pressure for the conduct of a full congressional inquiry into the allegations of former Ako Bicol Representative  Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co linking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the alleged corruption in the national budget.

The lawmakers said the scope and gravity of Co’s claims — delivered in a series of online videos — merited an investigation focused squarely on the President’s possible role in alleged insertions engineered during the bicameral conference.

“Right from the start, when the serious allegations came out in the video, we already called for an investigation. Not only that, but all insertions in the 2024 budget and past budgets should be investigated; this must be investigated,” said Gabriela Rep. Sarah Elago in Filipino.

Co, who chaired the House Committee on Appropriations in the 19th Congress, claimed the President issued a direct instruction to insert P100 billion worth of projects in the budget. 

Co said he handed over P25 billion in a kickback to the President from the alleged P100 billion insertion.

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chair Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday said that former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo contradicted Co’s assertion that he had personally delivered the P25 billion in suitcases. 

According to Lacson, Bernardo told the senators that he, not Co, made the delivery.

The Senate minority bloc has   demanded that Bernardo be summoned and placed under oath, asserting that his testimony will be crucial to determining if Malacañang officials were involved in any financial transfers or budget manipulation.

The bloc also warned against prematurely absolving the President, saying that Lacson’s suggestion that Marcos’ name was merely “used” by subordinates was not supported by any evidence. The lawmakers argued that any presumption of innocence at this stage undermined the integrity of the inquiry.

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said the investigation must be allowed to run its full course, especially since the allegations directly implicate the President.

‘Improbable’

“It needs to be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated whether this was truly ordered by the President, instead of concluding right away that the President had no involvement. That his name  was merely used,” Tinio said in Filipino.

“It is premature to say there was no involvement; this should further push us to deepen the investigation,” he added.

 Elago said the President’s authority over budget releases — including over unprogrammed funds —made it “truly improbable” that he had no knowledge of the alleged anomalies.

“Even for the unprogrammed funds, nothing would be released without the authority of the President,” she said. 

“That’s why besides being hard to believe, it’s truly improbable that there was no involvement. That is why we are pushing for an investigation,” Elago added.

Tinio also questioned why the President was not included in the Ombudsman’s ongoing probe. He said all investigative bodies should move urgently or risk enabling a coverup.

“We are challenging all those with the mandate to investigate to immediately and urgently face the very serious statements made by the key people. If this is not done, then a coverup is what is happening,” he said.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Wednesday his office will nevertheless examine whether the President had any role in the budget anomalies, although he described the allegations as “illogical.” 

He said the President prepares the budget before transmitting it to Congress.

“It’s illogical because it’s the President’s budget. They prepared it prior to giving it to Congress. Why would you now do something like that?” Remulla said.