Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Thursday fired back at his critics as he filed cyberlibel complaints and denounced allegations linking him to alleged cash payoffs as “pure fiction.”

Laurel lodged separate complaints before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office against former Ako Bicol party-list lawmaker Zaldy Co, lawyer Levi Baligod, and 18 former marines he branded as “puppets,” accusing them of orchestrating a smear campaign online.

The complaints stem from viral social media posts and sworn statements claiming Laurel was involved in weekly cash releases tied to flood control projects, which allegedly took place at a Forbes Park residence.

Laurel strongly denied the accusations.

“Well, nag file ako ng kaso cyberlibel, dalawa, sa isang grupo and kay Zaldy Co, yung isa naman kay Baligod and 18 na puppets dahil puro kasinungalingan ang pinagsasabi nila sa kanilang affidavit at purely walang katotohanan (Well, I filed two cyberlibel cases, one against a group and Zaldy Co, and another against Baligod and the 18 puppets, because everything they stated in their affidavit is full of lies and completely untrue). Purely fiction. It’s purely fiction,” he said. 

The DA chief stressed he has not lived in the cited Forbes Park home since 2018. 

“I live in another place in Makati, not in that village at all,” he said. 

He also dismissed any connection to the 18 individuals named in the affidavit.

“I don’t know any of those 18. Hindi naman ako yung binibigyan ng maleta, ako yung nagbibigay ng pera (I’m not the one being handed a suitcase, I’m the one giving the money),” Laurel said. 

“Clearly, hindi ako nakatira doon, at hindi rin ako nagbibigay ng ganoong pera (I don’t live there, and I’m not giving that kind of money either),” he further pressed.

The agriculture chief said he was pushed to take legal action after what he described as relentless attacks on his reputation.

“Ngayon lang nagkaroon ng oras para mag-file, so sinabay-sabay ko na kasi talagang sobra na ang paninira ng mga ’yan. Di ko alam kung magkakasama ang mga ’yan. But kailangan na lumaban kasi sobra na sila (I only just found the time to file, so I did them all at once because their attacks have really gone too far. I don’t know if they’re working together, but I have to fight back now because they’ve crossed the line),” he said.

Laurel also challenged the former Marines to come forward and reveal who may be behind the allegations.

“Sabihin n’yo na yung totoo para hindi kayo gamitin ng kung sino ba na nasa likod niyan. Katotohanan lang ang hinihingi ko (Tell the truth now so you won’t be used by whoever is behind this. All I’m asking for is the truth),” he urged.

A deeper rift

Laurel denied any connection to Co, calling the allegations completely false.

“For them to link me to him and claim I was involved in those supposed kickbacks is a total lie. I don’t like Zaldy Co at all,” he said.

He also insisted he has never met Baligod or the 18 soldiers named in the complaint.

“No, never.”

Also, Laurel exposed a simmering feud with Co. He also rejected any suggestion of political alliance.

“I only met him as appropriations chairman at the House of Representatives, but he was never a friend… He’s not my friend, in fact, diretsuhin ko na. Actually, kaaway ko siya (to make things straight, he’s actually my enemy),” Laurel said bluntly.

According to Laurel, tensions began early in his tenure when he allegedly refused several requests from Co, including matters related to fish and sugar importation. 

“Nung bago pa lang ako secretary, hindi na kami nagkakaintindihan… madami siya hinihingi nga tapos hindi ko siya pinagbibigyan (When I had just become secretary, we already had misunderstandings… he was asking for many things, and I wasn’t granting them),” he lamented. 

He claimed these refusals were followed by moves to cut the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s budget.

The DA’s rice program, he noted, was slashed by P10 billion—from P30 billion to P20 billion—during bicameral deliberations, disrupting procurement plans.

“That time pakiramdam namin sinasabotahe kami (we felt we were being sabotaged),” Laurel said.

He added that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. later intervened to restore funding support.

Meanwhile, Laurel insisted the accusations, including claims tying even First Lady Liza Marcos to the controversy, were baseless.

“Yung kay Zaldy Co naman… like si First Lady (Liza Marcos) is involved daw, it’s a total lie… Wala, walang request kahit ano. It’s a total lie,” he said.

Despite calling the legal battle a “waste of time,” Laurel said filing the cases was necessary to draw a line.

“Honestly, this is a waste of time. But kailangan lumaban na talaga kasi kung hindi parang gagawa lang kami punching bag. Kailangan managot talaga sila (But we really have to fight back now, because otherwise we’ll just be turned into punching bags. They really need to be held accountable),” he said.

“This is also saying to everybody to tell the truth. Kung maninira kayo, ’yung may hint lang ng katotohanan, hindi ang pure fabrication (If you’re going to make accusations, at least have a hint of truth, don’t just make things up entirely),” he went on.