'No compelling reason to impeach BBM'

Members of the House minority bloc see no sufficient basis at this time to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Marcos, despite explosive allegations circulating online.

- By JOSE RODEL CLAPANO

Former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co earlier claimed in a video post that Marcos supposedly received a P25-billion kickback from P100 billion worth of project insertions in the 2025 national budget.

The minority, however, stressed that Co’s accusations do not meet the threshold for credible evidence, noting that these were made on social media and not under oath.

Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Eli San Fernando said the statements hold no legal weight unless Co formalizes them.

“That's why we’re telling the former representative to come home, and if he was truly serious about his allegations, then submit them under oath,” he said.

Echoing Fernando, the National Unity Party (NUP), one of the largest political parties in the House, said that Co’s refusal to return raises serious questions about his “motive and veracity.”

“Rather than addressing his own role in the controversy, he has chosen to cast blame on others through sensational accusations. These claims emerged only after mounting pressure on Mr. Co to account for his own actions, and only from the safety of a foreign jurisdiction, further undermining their credibility,” the NUP said.

Co alleged that Marcos, through ex-budget secretary Amenah Pangandaman, instructed him to push for P100 billion in budget insertions during the bicameral conference meetings on the 2025 General Appropriations Act. The claims also implicated several senior officials in Malacafiang and the Cabinet.

Davao Ist District Rep. Paolo Duterte has filed a resolution seeking a House investigation into these allegations and the agencies involved, saying Co’s claims necessitate a deeper probe to determine their truthfulness.