Marcos: Zaldy Co camp tried to blackmail me but I don't negotiate with criminals

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said Wednesday the camp of former lawmaker Zaldy Co tried to ''blackmail'' him.

Marcos said that Co's lawyer supposedly said that they will no longer release video statements if the government will not cancel his passport.

In a message to GMA News Online, Atty. Ruy Rondain, Co’s lawyer, denied contacting the government.

“Completely untrue. I have not spoken with anyone from the government to negotiate the stoppage of the videos for the passport. As I have always maintained, I have no control over the release of the videos,” Rondain said.

In a video message posted on Wednesday afternoon, Marcos strongly said that he is not negotiating with criminals.

''Lastly, meron po akong ibabanggit sa inyo. Nilapitan po kami ng abogado ni Zaldy Co at nagtatangkang mag-blackmail na kung hindi po namin kakanselahin daw ang passport niya, hindi na raw siya maglalabas ng video,'' he said.

(Lastly, I have something to tell you. We were approached by the lawyer of Zaldy Co and they attempted to blackmail us ... that if we won't cancel the passport of (Co), they won't be releasing videos anymore.)

''I do not negotiate with criminals. Kahit maglabas ka na ng video ng lahat ng kasinungalingan mo na pag-destabilize sa gobyerno. Gusto kong malaman mo Zaldy makakansela pa rin ang passport mo. Hindi ka na makakatakas sa hustisya,'' he added. 

(I do not negotiate with criminals. Even if you release videos containing lies, with the aim to destabilize the government. I want you to know Zaldy that your passport will be canceled. You can't escape from justice.) 

GMA News Online has reached out to Co's camp but it has yet to reply as of posting time. 

'Come home'

Earlier, the President challenged Co to come home and face accusations against him. He pointed out that anyone could go to social media and make claims that usually mean nothing.

Co had accused the President and his cousin, Leyte Representative and former Speaker Martin Romualdez, as well as some Cabinet members, of orchestrating supposed "insertions" worth P100 billion in the national budget.

Co said the P100 billion insertion under the 2025 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was reduced to P50 billion since sticking with the P100 billion plan would make the DPWH’s budget bigger than the Department of Education (DepEd), a situation that would violate the Constitution.

Co also said that the government is in "full force to silence him." He has since maintained innocence over accusations against him.

Last week, Marcos said arrest warrants have been issued against Co and 17 others including officials of the DPWH and directors of Sunwest Corp. over the alleged anomalous P289 million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro. — RSJ/JMA, GMA Integrated News