Former Rep. Zaldy Co, through his counsel, rejected on Tuesday night the assertion of Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla that he had amassed P5 billion worth of Bitcoin abroad.
Atty. Ruy Rondain, counsel for the former lawmaker, said the airwaves have once again been flooded with what he described as false and misleading claims coming from Remulla.
Rondain said the allegation that Co holds Bitcoin abroad is a “complete fabrication.”
“For the sake of credibility, Rep. Co challenges Sec. Remulla to name his alleged ‘associate’ who supposedly provided that information,” Rondain said.
“But even if he does not name that alleged source, Sec. Remulla can keep any Bitcoin he can find in Rep. Co’s name, in any amount,” he added.
Co’s camp also dismissed the assertion that the former lawmaker’s Forbes Park residence has “four to five basement levels,” describing the claim as another fabrication.
Rondain again challenged Remulla to disclose the source of his information, noting that neither the existing structure nor the construction plans support such a claim.
He said the house is designed with a split-type basement strictly intended for vehicle parking.
“This is necessary not because Rep. Co has unaccounted-for cash, but because village rules allow only a limited buildable area in relation to the total lot area,” Rondain said.
“The split-tier design is meant solely to maximize the house’s footprint,” he added.
Rondain also dismissed claims that the basement was designed to store cash because “fire moves upward,” calling the assertion pure speculation.
“The public deserves facts, not misinformation,” Rondain said, adding that such claims have no place in discussions on public issues.