Zaldy Co: Marcos personally discussed budget insertions with me

Former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co alleged that he personally discussed with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. about insertions into the 2025 national budget. 

According to Tina Panganiban Perez’s report in “24 Oras” on Tuesday, Co in his video shared online Tuesday claimed his conversation with Marcos happened last March. 

“Si Usec. Jojo Cadiz ang nag-ayos ng aming meeting noong March 2025 sa 1201 Aguado Street tapat ng Malacanang Gate 4. Pero sa halip na kumalma ang Pangulo, lalo lang siyang nagalit. Sa halip na itanggi o linawin niya ang tungkol sa P100 billion insertion, pinagsabihan niya kami ni dating Speaker Romualdez, at sa akin mismo, diretsahan niyang sinabi, Huwag mo akong pigilan sa mga insertions ko. Huwag ka nang makialam sa budget.’

(Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz arranged our meeting in March 2025 at 1201 Aguado Street across from Malacanang Gate 4. But instead of the President calming down, he became angrier. Instead of denying or clarifying the P100 billion insertion, he scolded former Speaker Martin Romualdez and I, and he told me directly, 'Don't stop me from making my insertions. Don't interfere with the budget anymore.') 

“Dahil sa mga binitawang salita sa akin ni BBM, naging malinaw sa akin na siya mismo ang nag-utos kila Secretary Mina Pangandaman at usec Adrian Bersamin na ipasok ang P100 billion worth of projects.” 

(Due to the words BBM said to me, it became clear to me that he himself was the one who ordered Secretary Mina Pangandaman and Usec. Adrian Bersamin to insert P100 billion worth of projects.) 

Before the meeting in March, Co claimed he wrote to Marcos in February. 

“Doon ko ipinaliwanag na nagawa ko lang ang mga utos niya tungkol sa mga insertions na sinasabi niyang hindi na raw niya makilala. Ilalabas ko po ang sulat ko sa Pangulo kasama ng video na ito,” the former House Committee on Appropriations chairperson said. 

(There I explained that I was only following his orders regarding the insertions that he reportedly said he could no longer recognize. I will release my letter to the President along with the video of it.) 

Co also said that aside from the P100 billion worth of projects that were inserted into the budget, there is allegedly an additional demand/request for P50 billion worth of projects.

“Kinausap ako ni Usec. Jojo Cadiz at nagsabi na ipinapa-insert ng mga projects ang Pangulo na worth 50 billion pesos. And sinabi ko kay Usec. Jojo na meron ng instruction kay Secretary Mina Pangandaman at Usec. Adrian Bersamin about the P100 billion insertion. And sabi niya, kakausapin niya ang Pangulo na kung pwede, doon na lang i-charge ang gusto niya na P50 billion na insertion,” he said. 

(Usec. Jojo Cadiz spoke to me and said that the President was asking to insert projects worth P50 billion. And I told Usec. Jojo that there was already an instruction to Secretary Mina Pangandaman and Usec. Adrian Bersamin about the P100 billion insertion. And he said he would talk to the President to see if the P50 billion insertion he wanted could just be charged there.) 

“Ngunit ang sagot ng Pangulo, ‘Humingi ka ng bago o dagdag na insertions.’ Doon po nakita at naramdaman na hindi pwedeng sabihin ng Pangulo na wala siyang alam sa mga nangyayari. Kasi mismo siya ang nagbibigay ng utos.” 

(But the President's answer was, 'Ask for new or additional insertions.' It was there that I saw and felt that the President cannot say he knows nothing about what is happening. Since he himself is the one giving the orders.) 

Co said that even in the proposed 2026 budget, which is currently being discussed by Congress, the President allegedly ordered projects to be inserted.

“Kung titignan ninyo ang 2026 budget, may panibago siyang P97 billion insertions. Pero ngayon, ipinasok na mismo sa President's Budget or NEP 2026. ‘Yan po ang kinumpirma ni Secretary Manny Bonoan na may instructions ang Pangulo na magpasok ng P100 billion ulit sa President's Budget kaya wala na siyang puwedeng ipamigay. Ito ay nalaman ko noong May 2025 sa meeting namin kasama si dating Speaker Romualdez,” he said. 

(If you look at the 2026 budget, he has new P97 billion insertions. But now, they were inserted directly into the President's Budget or NEP 2026. This was confirmed by Secretary Manny Bonoan, who said that the President instructed to insert P100 billion again into the President's Budget, so he no longer has anything left to give away. I learned this in May 2025 during our meeting with former Speaker Romualdez.) 

GMA Integrated News is trying to reach out to the Palace for comments regarding Co’s statements.

Aside from the President, Co also tagged his son House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander "Sandro" Marcos in the alleged insertions amounting to P50 billion in the national budget from 2023 to 2025.

“Hindi lang po ang Pangulo ang may insertion sa budget. Pati po si Congressman Sandro Marcos, meron din pong pinapasok taon-taon. Noong 2023, may P9.636 billion. Noong 2024, P20.174 billion, at nitong 2025, P21.127 billion. Lahat-lahat, ang kabuuan ay P50.938 billion,” said Co. 

(The President is not the only one with insertions in the budget. Congressman Sandro Marcos also has projects inserted every year. In 2023, there was P9.636 billion. In 2024, P20.174 billion, and this 2025, P21.127 billion. All in all, the total is P50.938 billion.) 

The former lawmaker also released an alleged list of the younger Marcos's insertions.

“Nalaman ko na lang sa mga contractor na galit na galit siya sa akin noong pinag-uusapan na ang 2025 GAA budget. Ang sabi daw niya, ipatatanggal ako at magfa-file ng maraming kaso laban sa akin kasi kulang ng P8 billion ‘yung insertion na gusto niyang ipasok. Ang dahilan daw, may mga contractor na nakapag-advance na sa kanya at dahil hindi naipasok ang buong halaga, kailangan daw niyang magsauli sa mga ‘yun,” he said. 

(I only learned from contractors that he was very angry with me when the 2025 GAA budget was being discussed. He allegedly said that he would have me removed and would file many cases against me because the insertion he wanted to put in was short by P8 billion. The reason, he said, was that some contractors had already advanced him money, and because the full amount was not inserted, he allegedly needed to return it to them.) 

In response, the younger Marcos accused Co of being part of destabilization efforts.

“In fact, the intel suggests he already struck a deal with those who stand to benefit from such a change,” he said. 

“Anyone can sit in front of the camera from abroad and spew lies. The statements from the newly-crowned champion of the DDS cabal, former Congressman Zaldy Co, are frankly as fantastical as they are false,” Sandro also said. 

The House leader also said that Co was removed as the chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations not just due to the whim of one individual, but allegedly because of his greed and corruption.

“Si Zaldy Co ay hindi po isang journalist o truth crusader. Siya po ay isang kriminal na umiiwas sa hustisya. Huwag po tayong magpabudol sa kanta,” said Sandro. 

(Zaldy Co is not a journalist or truth crusader. He is a criminal who is fleeing from justice. Don’t be deceived by his claims.)

Meanwhile, the Makabayan Bloc filed a resolution asking the House to investigate the statements made by Co and former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Roberto Bernardo. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News