Zaldy Co claims he personally delivered suitcases of money to Marcos, Romualdez

Former Ako Bicol party-list Representative and House Appropriations Committee chairman Zaldy Co on Saturday released the second part of his video exposé on the alleged P100-billion insertions in the national budget supposedly ordered by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., claiming that he, himself, delivered the money to the chief executive and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.

“Ako lang at ang aking mga tao sila Paul Estrada, Mark Tecsay at ang aking mga security ang nag-deliver papunta sa bahay nila Pangulong Bongbong Marcos at Speaker Martin Romualdez sa North Forbes Park, South Forbes Park hanggang sa Malacañang. ‘Yung mga deliveries po ay merong record ang aking mga tao,” Co said.

(It was just me and my staff, Paul Estrada, Mark Tecsay and my security guards who delivered to the houses of President Bongbong Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romales in North Forbes Park, South Forbes Park up to Malacañang. My people have a record of those deliveries.)

In the video, Co also released photos of the supposed suitcases that he claims were delivered to Marcos and Romualdez.

Marcos, meanwhile, brushed off Co's claim. 

“I don’t want to even dignify what he was saying,” Marcos said in a chance interview with reporters during his visit to typhoon-affected areas in Negros Occidental.

Presidential Communications Office's Acting Secretary, Dave Gomez, also again refuted Co's statements as he maintained that Co's allegations are a "bunch of hearsay."

"We may begin to sound like a broken record. What he is saying is a bunch of hearsay. Sabi nito, sabi ni ano.  Hind- nag rewrite ng script sa second video kahit na kanal na yung una," Gomez told reporters. 

"We continue to issue the same challenge. Come home, sign these under oath and face the music," he added. 

Romualdez has also issued a statement saying his conscience "remains clear" amid allegations made by Co.

"My conscience remains clear. Throughout this inquiry, no public official, contractor, or witness has pointed to any wrongdoing on my part," said Romualdez in a statement. 

"I do not wish to comment on the recent statements and allegations made by former Rep. Zaldy Co because these were not made under oath and do not hold water in the court of law," added Romualdez. 

On Friday, Malacañang described Co's video as "wild allegations."

"These wild accusations are completely without basis and fact. All the charges leveled against the President are pure hearsay,'' said Gomez. 

Gomez pointed out that Marcos himself exposed all the flood control anomalies and has taken numerous steps to ensure that ''the guilty are brought to justice, the stolen wealth recovered, and the system is fixed to avoid any of these from happening again.''

''Rep. Zaldy Co should come back to the country and sign everything he said under oath with the proper judicial authorities,'' Gomez said.

Orly Guteza

In the video, Co also backed his alleged former security aide Orly Guteza’s claims, in September, that the latter delivered luggages of money.

“Totoo po yung sinasabi ni Orly Guteza na nag-deliver siya sa Forbes Park. Totoo din po ang sinasabi ni Orly Guteza na nag-deliver siya sa Malacañang nung siya ay nasa Senado,” Co said.

In September, Guteza faced the Senate panel probe after he was presented by Senator Rodante Marcoleta. Guteza said he is a former member of the Philippine Marines and was hired as a security aide of Co in December 2024. 

However, in October, the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) found that the signature on Guteza's affidavit was not that of the lawyer whose name appeared on the document.

Guteza has since disappeared from the public eye.

P25B for Marcos, none for Co

The former lawmaker claimed that Marcos received 25% from the supposed insertions or P25 billion. 

“After po ng approval ng budget sa General Appropriations Act of 2025, nagtanong po ako sa DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways] kung magkano ang kailangan na ibigay sa Office of the President o ang SOP na bigayan,” Co said.

(After the approval of the budget in the General Appropriations Act of 2025, I asked the DPWH how much needs to be given to the Office of the President or the SOP to be given.)

“Ang sinagot sa akin ay 25%. Ang ibig sabihin ito, 25% ng P100 billion ang SOP na kailangan ibigay kay BBM mismo.  In total, P25 billion ang napunta kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos,” the former House Appropriations panel chairman said. 

(The answer I was given was 25%. What this means is, 25% of the P100 billion SOP needs to be given to BBM itself. In total, P25 billion went to President Bongbong Marcos,” the former House Appropriations panel chairman said.) 

This, as Co claimed that he did not benefit from the supposed insertions. 

“Wala pong perang napunta sa akin. Lahat po ng insertion napunta sa ating Pangulo at Speaker Martin Romualdez,” he said.

(No money went to me. All the insertions went to our President and Speaker Martin Romualdez.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News