Lakas-CMD: Zaldy Co has no proof vs Romualdez

The ruling party in the House of Representatives on Tuesday came to the defense of their embattled leader in saying that former Ako-Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co has presented no evidence to support his corruption allegations against former Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Lakas-CMD, which Romualdez leads as party president, issued the statement in response to Co’s claim that former House Speaker allegedly conspired with his cousin, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to insert a P100-billion allocation into the national budget purportedly for their own benefit.

“There has been no evidence whatsoever presented in any sworn or validated proceeding that links Rep. Romualdez to any wrongdoing. The standard for liability must remain firm: evidence, not hearsay,” Lakas-CMD said in a statement.

The party maintained that Romualdez had no involvement in the alleged corruption scheme, which supposedly stemmed from fund insertions in the Department of Public Works and Highways budget and from projects awarded to favored contractors that later turned out to be ghost or substandard public works.

“He (Romualdez) did not participate in the preparation, negotiation, or endorsement of individual projects, nor did he engage in dealings related to contractors or allocations,” the party emphasized, adding that his leadership was rooted in transparency, process, and respect for the separation of powers,” it added. 

Lakas–CMD is the largest political party with 109 legislators, 15 governors, and thousands of local leaders from Luzon to Mindanao. 

Its 109 members also comprise the biggest political party in the House of Representatives. 

The Lakas-CMD statement was signed by the party’s top officers and regional leaders namely:

• Rep. David “Jay-Jay” Suarez – Executive Vice President
• Rep. Jose “Joboy” Aquino II – Secretary General
• Rep. Mauricio Domogan – CAR Regional Chair
• Rep. Ramon Guico Jr. – Region I Regional Chair
• Rep. Antonio Albano – Region II Regional Chair
• Rep. Jefferson Khonghun – Region III Regional Chair
• Rep. Janette Garin – Region VI Regional Chair
• Rep. Munir Arbison – Region IX Regional Chair
• Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora – Region XI Regional Chair
• Rep. Ziaur-Rahman Alonto Adiong – BARMM Regional Chair
• Rep. Ernesto Dionisio Jr. – NCR Regional Chair
• Rep. Adrian Salceda – Region V Regional Chair
• Rep. Eduardo Roa Rama Jr. – Region VII Regional Chair
• Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo – Region X Regional Chair
• Rep. Ma. Alana Samantha Taliño Santos – Region XII Regional Chair

The party leaders also dismissed insinuations that Romualdez went into hiding after he resigned as House Speaker due to revelations involving the alleged insertions in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

“Romualdez has consistently shown openness and readiness to cooperate with any lawful investigation. Wala kaming tinatakbuhan. Pero hindi rin kami tatanggap ng paninira,” the party said. 

(We don’t run away from accountability, but we will also not tolerate defamation.) 

“We stand firmly beside him—matatag, nagkakaisa, at nasa tama (stable, united, and in the right),” it added.—MCG, GMA Integrated News