Blackmail

In most cases involving major crimes, there would be backdoor negotiations at best, or threats of blackmail at worst, if one party could not secure what they wanted.

This is the idea one would get upon hearing Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s recent disclosure regarding the blackmail attempt by fugitive ex-Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Zaldy Co. who has been charged in connection with the multibillion-peso budget insertions in 2025 that supposedly funded most anomalous flood control projects.

According to the President, Co tried to blackmail the government into not canceling his passport in exchange for his silence, an offer which the President immediately rejected. Co earlier implicated the President and former Speaker Martin Romualdez in the budget insertions scandal.

“I do not negotiate with criminals,” said President Marcos in his latest video message reporting the status of the criminal cases filed against Co and other prominent individuals who were implicated in the multibillion-peso flood control corruption. 

The President said Co’s lawyer reached out to the authorities and requested that the resigned lawmaker’s passport not be cancelled in exchange for stopping his further claims made through social media videos.

Co is facing a warrant of arrest issued by the Sandiganbayan, along with 15 officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Sunwest Corporation whom the Ombudsman has indicted for graft and malversation of public funds over an anomalous P289.5-million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.

Co’s is not just a singular case; he represents the tip of the iceberg in the corruption scandal. The gravity of the situation is underscored by the involvement of 15 officials from the DPWH and Sunwest Corporation. 

The case itself, now within the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan, should alarm every Filipino taxpayer who deserves to know how their hard-earned money has been squandered.

The wheels of justice may finally be turning. By publicly announcing these intentions and detailing the evidence gathered to date, President Marcos somehow enhances public trust in the system. It shows that his administration is serious about shielding taxpayers from the corrosive effects of corruption and is willing to hold public figures accountable for their actions.

The creation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate infrastructure projects closely is a positive move — one that should be continued across other government sectors to promote integrity and protect the people’s money.

The freezing of assets totaling approximately P12 billion, including Co’s air assets valued at around P4 billion, is a substantial step toward recovering the misappropriated public funds. The emphasis on pursuing additional asset freezes shows a commitment to ensuring that those who engage in corrupt practices cannot escape the consequences through financial means. This is an encouraging sign that the administration is serious about rectifying longstanding grievances.

While these developments signal progress, the biggest hurdle is how to win these cases in court, given that all the accused are moneyed and influential, capable of hiring the best lawyers.