Zaldy Co is 'lying,' says NUP

The National Unity Party (NUP) said it has "serious doubts" about the claims of former party-list lawmaker Zaldy Co on the budget insertions allegedly ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The party urged the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to "exercise judicious discernment" in its investigation and focus on matters that can be substantiated.

"In light of recent revelations emerging from the ongoing Senate investigation, the National Unity Party believes that the allegations made by Mr. Zaldy Co are cast into serious doubt. Put simply, we believe Mr. Co is lying," NUP said in a statement.

"These grave allegations, if true, would constitute criminal conduct. Yet they rest entirely on Mr. Co’s statements not made under oath, uncorroborated, and made while he remains outside the country and beyond the reach of lawful inquiry. His continued refusal to return and submit to proper legal process raises legitimate questions about motive and veracity," it added.

In his social media account, Co accused President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and his cousin, former Speaker Martin Romualdez, and some Cabinet members of orchestrating supposed "insertions" of worth P100 billion in the national budget.

Malacanang dismissed the allegations as "pure hearsay" and dared Co to prove his statements.

NUP took note of the "growing inconsistency and improbability" of Co's accusations, which it said are coming to light with recent developments.

"Unless Mr. Co appears before the proper authorities, testifies under oath, and produces verifiable proof, his statements are not acceptable and cannot be regarded as truth," it said.

"We observe that Mr. Co’s allegations follow a troubling pattern of deflection. Rather than addressing his own role in the controversy, he has chosen to cast blame on others through sensational accusations," it added.

In its probe, NUP urged the ICI to train its sights on allegations that can be scrutinized, tested and cross-examined, "rather than on claims unsupported by credible or verifiable evidence."

It challenged Co to return to the country and present himself before the authorities. 

"It would be a grave miscarriage of justice to pursue investigations based solely on unverified allegations made by an individual who is himself under investigation by the Ombudsman, refuses to face legal scrutiny, and whose accusations lack supporting evidence," NUP said.

ICI was created by Marcos to help in the probe of anomalous government flood control projects. 

On Tuesday, Ombudsman prosecutors filed malversation and two counts of graft charges against Co, as well as DPWH Region 4B officials and Sunwest Corporation executives before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the P289 million substandard road dike project in Oriental Mindoro. 

The NUP also called out Co for deflecting rather that coming clean about his actions as House appropriations panel chairperson from 2022 to 2024. 

NUP stalwart and House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno of Antipolo City earlier said that Co’s allegations are impossible even if NUP’s earlier statement said ICI should probe Co’s claims. —LDF, GMA Integrated News