Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chair Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday confirmed that allegations by former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co regarding questionable budget insertions in the 2025 national budget are valid.
In a radio interview with DZRH, Lacson explained that Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin verified the presence of the inserted items during bicameral deliberations, although some discrepancies, such as typos and mismatched details, were noted.
“Totoo nga, validated na merong talagang yung mga items na nakalista sa kanya. Chineck namin, totoo yun. May mga typo, may mga hindi tugma, pero lahat halos nakalagay yung 100 billion,” Lacson said.
(Co’s claim is validated—we checked, and while there are typos and inconsistencies, nearly all items totaling P100 billion are listed.)
Lacson further explained that, together with Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Roberto Bernardo, they cross-checked budget files. He clarified that Co’s claim of personally delivering P25 billion in cash was false.
Instead, former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo handled deliveries, including P52 billion, on multiple occasions. The funds were reportedly moved in armored vans and stored in boxes, including at the Diamond Hotel basement parking.
“Pag-uwi niya, Sunday morning nagpatawag siya from his camp dahil may natuklasan siya nang mag-compare notes; naalala niya ito yung items na siya ang nangasiwa,” Lacson said, quoting Bernardo.
(When he got home on Sunday morning, his camp called him after he discovered something while comparing notes — he remembered the items he personally handled.)
“So agad sinabi niya sa akin, ‘hindi totoo sabi ni Zaldy Co, ako ang nag-deliver,’” he added.
(So immediately he told me, ‘what Zaldy is saying is untrue because it was I who delivered those kickbacks.’)
Bernardo’s account also shed light on the breakdown of the alleged cash movements:
P8 billion went to Education Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar and PLLO Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin
P1 billion went to then-Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan
Bernardo claimed that Olaivar demanded commissions for himself and instructed him not to inform Secretary Bonoan. “Tapos binilinan siya (Bernardo) na ‘wag sasabihin kay Secretary Bonoan itong usapan natin.’ Conclusion lang doon ayaw niya ipasabi kay Secretary Bonoan, kasi sila Olaivar pa rin yun,” Lacson said.
(Bernardo was told not to tell Secretary Bonoan about this arrangement because Olaivar and his group were behind it.)
The armored vans used for cash deliveries were reportedly seen entering and exiting the Diamond Hotel basement from February to April 2024. Bernardo also said that one delivery of about P2 billion in March was delayed due to the politically tense climate surrounding the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Despite Co’s claim of delivering cash, Lacson emphasized that Bernardo’s testimony makes the P25-billion allegation logistically impossible. “Yung P52 billion nga ang nangasiwa si Bernardo, yung P29 billion naman sina Bonoan at sina Olaivar—saan siya (Co) kukuha ng P25 billion?” he said.
(If Bernardo handled P52 billion, and P29 billion was handled by Bonoan and Olaivar, where would Co get the alleged P25 billion?)
However, Lacson reiterated that Co was correct regarding the budget insertions themselves. “Navalidate namin sa GAA—nandoon talaga. Di masyadong accurate, may typo pero pareho. So pareho sabi ni Zaldy Co na may singit sa bicam,” he said.
(We validated it in the General Appropriations Act—it’s really there. There are typos, but Co is right that items were inserted.)
The senator stressed that while insertions occurred, there is no evidence that kickbacks reached President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. He said Olaivar and Bersamin allegedly invoked the President’s name to facilitate the insertions without his knowledge. Marcos even vetoed P1.15 billion from the same list Co cited, demonstrating he was not involved.
“I think we have reached the point na dapat isipin natin—enough is enough,” Lacson said, urging government officials to stop misusing the President’s name and to ensure transparency in the budget process.