Marcos scolded Romualdez — TOBY

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. allegedly reprimanded former House Speaker Martin Romualdez for diverting funds from government flagship projects in the 2025 national budget, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco testified before the Sandiganbayan Third Division.

Tiangco said he and Romualdez attended a meeting with Marcos on 24 Nov. 2024, at the President’s private office following a family dinner.

During the meeting, Marcos reportedly accused Romualdez and then House appropriations committee chair Zaldy Co of working together to strip funding from priority government projects.

Tiangco said he felt “embarrassed” for Romualdez as the President supposedly blamed the two lawmakers for the government’s troubles.

“I remember him saying to Romualdez, ‘How many houses in Forbes Park do you want? How many airplanes do you need? How many Ferraris do you want? How much caviar can you eat?’” Tiangco recalled.

Romualdez reportedly responded that the projects Marcos wanted funded would be restored during the bicameral conference committee deliberations. Tiangco, however, said he could not confirm whether the funding was returned because he did not participate in the proceedings.

Tiangco also testified that Marcos later instructed his son, Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, to have Co removed as appropriations committee chair. On 13 January 2025, Sandro moved to declare Co’s position vacant, a motion that drew no objection.

Co demanded 20 percent commission

Tiangco further accused Co of demanding a 20-percent commission through a purported “taripa” system in exchange for inserting lawmakers’ proposed projects into the budget.

He said Co could facilitate project insertions in both the executive’s National Expenditure Program (NEP) and the House version of the budget.

Tiangco explained that the NEP offered greater fiscal space for project insertions, while bicameral amendments involved shifting funding for foreign-assisted and flagship projects to unprogrammed appropriations.