Zaldy urged: Come home and face the music

The allegations raised in a video at an undisclosed location by resigned congressman Zaldy Co against President Marcos and former speaker Martin Romualdez were nothing but “lies and propaganda,” according to Malacañang, with some quarters daring the former lawmaker to “come home, sign these under oath and face the music.”

- By ALEXIS ROMERO

“Co’s sin to the nation is becoming bigger,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a video statement. “He can no longer deny that he is a traitor to the nation who placed the insertions so they can be pocketed.”

Castro recalled the former lawmaker had admitted to his involvement in the budget insertions that changed the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

She said Marcos was angered by the insertions and even remarked that he could no longer recognize the NEP.

She pointed out that Marcos vetoed P194 billion worth of items in the 2025 budget, higher than the alleged P100 billion worth of projects that Co claimed the President had ordered inserted into the outlay.

“Why would Secretary Mina of DBM (Department of Budget and Management) order the inserting of P100 billion worth of projects if they would end up being removed and vetoed?" Castro was referring to DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman. The Palace press officer also said the dates on the photos of the luggage supposedly containing money prove Co's lies.

She said the photos were dated January 2024, May 2024, June 2024, August 2024 and October 2024 while Co claimed that the supposed insertions were for the 2025 budget.

According to Castro, Co claimed to have spoken with Pangandaman during the start of the bicam process, which began in November last year.

"How can the luggage be delivered by his staff in January, May, June, August and October 2024 when the bicam conference for budget 2025 has not started? Where did he get the money for those months in 2024 if the alleged deliveries came from the 2025 budget and only the luggage were shown? Where is the money he was talking about?"