DPWH chief doubts Zaldy Co allegations vs. Marcos

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon expressed doubt over former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co’s allegations against President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

According to Ian Cruz's report on "24 Oras," Dizon it was President Marcos himself who revealed the corruption behind anomalous flood control projects and called for a probe.

“Kung involved ka, bakit ikaw mismo magpapasabog? Bakit mo gagawin lahat ng ito? Bakit mo ibubuo ang isang independent commission?” Dizon said.

(If you are involved, why would you expose it yourself? Why would you do all of this? Why would you create an independent commission?)

Earlier, Co had released a video to reporters stating that Marcos, Romualdez, and some Cabinet members had orchestrated P100 billion worth of insertions for the national budget.

"Tinawagan ko po si dating Speaker Martin Romualdez at nireport ko ang instructions ng Presidente to insert the P100 billion projects. At sinabi niya (Romualdez) sa akin, what the President wants, he gets,” Co said.

(I called former Speaker Martin Romualdez and reported the instructions of the President to insert the P100 billion projects. And he (Romualdez) told me, what the President wants, he gets.)

In response, the Malacañang Palace said that the accusations had been “pure hearsay” without basis or fact.

''Dahil lumiliit na ang mundo ni Zaldy Co, kailangan niyang umiwas at iiwas ang sarili at mag-name drop kahit walang katibayan at laway lang ang puhunan,'' Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said.

(His world is getting smaller, so he needs to save himself and drop names even without basis.) 

''Para masagip ang sarili sa paratang ng pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan at mapalitaw na siya ang biktima, siya ay magtatahi ng maling kwento laban sa ibang tao,'' she added.

(In order to save himself from the accusations that he stole public funds, he crafted a story against other people.) –NB, GMA Integrated News