TIMELINE: Zaldy Co’s video exposés on alleged budget insertions

Nearly five months after the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant against him over his alleged hand in the flood control mess, former Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co was finally arrested in Prague, Czech Republic on Thursday (Manila time). 

Co, former chairman of the House appropriations committee, reportedly went to several countries while trying to evade arrest. 

LIST: Zaldy Co’s reported whereabouts since leaving PH amid flood control probe

In November, while in hiding, the former lawmaker released a series of recorded video statements from an unknown location where he accused the First Family and other high-ranking government officials of corruption and involvement in the supposed budget insertion schemes. 

Here is a rundown of the claims made by the former congressman in his video statements: 

November 14

In his initial video, Co accused cousins President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and former House 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 alleged insertion under the 2025 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was supposed to be 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.

A day after, he said that former Budget secretary Amenah Pangandaman called him and said the President's alleged message was to push through with the insertions because Romualdez supposedly made a “promise.” 

“Kumbaga, ang utos ng hari hindi pwedeng mabali (It's like saying we cannot go against the order of the king)," Co said. 

The resigned lawmaker also said he needed to do such “tell-all” videos as the administration was “unfairly” using him as a punching bag for the government’s anti-corruption drive.

He also said he was only being a good soldier who followed orders to his own detriment.

Co also said he was supposed to return to the Philippines after Marcos’ 2025 State of the Nation Address after a medical check-up in the United States, but Romualdez allegedly stopped him from going home and assured him that he would be "taken care of."

Malacañang dismissed Co’s accusations against the President as “pure hearsay.” Romualdez, meanwhile, also denied the allegations against him. 

November 15

In the second video, Co claimed that he, his staff, and his security personnel personally delivered suitcases of money to the residences of Marcos and Romualdez. 

Co also backed the claim of his alleged former security aide, Orly Guteza, that the latter delivered several luggage 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.

(What Orly Guteza said that he delivered money at Forbes Park was true. It’s also true that he delivered money at Malacañang.) 

Guteza was the supposed whistleblower presented by Senator Rodante Marcoleta in one of the flood control hearings at the Senate. He claimed that he personally delivered suitcases of money to the residences of Co and Romualdez.

The President simply brushed off Co's claim, while Romualdez said his conscience "remains clear" amid allegations made by his former ally. 

November 16

In the third installment of his exposé, Co accused Marcos and Romualdez of receiving up to P56 billion in kickbacks from alleged anomalous flood control projects.

The former congressman disputed earlier claims by former DPWH district engineer Henry Alcantara that he pocketed P21 billion in kickbacks. The actual figure, he said, was P56 billion, which purportedly went to Marcos and Romualdez.

Malacañang quickly dismissed the allegations as "lies."

November 17

Co released his “unedited,” “tell-all” video regarding alleged budget insertions.

November 24

Co also bared that he personally delivered around P1 billion to Marcos on the directives of Romualdez.

He said he received the orders from Romualdez when he assumed the post as chairperson of the House appropriations committee.

"Sinabi na agad sa akin ni Speaker Romualdez na kailangan kong makapag-deliver ng P2 billion kada buwan (Speaker Romualdez told me that I need to deliver P2 billion a month)," Co said.

He also showed a photo of the alleged list of cash deliveries for the President and the former Speaker.

November 25

Co also alleged that presidential son, House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander "Sandro" Marcos, ordered nearly P51 billion worth of insertions under the national budgets for 2023 to 2025. He claimed that contractors even paid Sandro Marcos in advance in exchange for securing government contracts.

"Hindi lang po ang Pangulo ang may insertions sa budget, pati po si Congressman Sandro Marcos, mayroon din pong ipinapasok taon-taon," Co said. 

(The President is not the only one who has budget insertions. Congressman Sandro Marcos has insertions every year as well.) 

The former lawmaker alleged that Sandro posted P9.636 billion of insertions in the 2023 national budget, a figure which ballooned to P20.174 billion in 2024, and P21.127 billion in 2025. The total amount, Co said, reached P50.938 billion.

These figures, however, are mostly different from the insertion amounts indicated in the documents that Co uploaded to his social media accounts.

Congressman Marcos disputed Co’s allegations, branding these as part of a destabilization attempt.

November 26

Co later on accused First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos of allegedly intervening to stop congressional inquiries into the soaring prices of onions and rice in recent years, supposedly to protect her and her brother's interests in the industry.

He alleged that the First Lady and her brother, Martin Araneta, were reportedly profiting from agricultural imports.

Co also said a House inquiry was abruptly stopped after Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. supposedly showed members of Congress a confidential report supposedly detailing the First Lady’s influence over rice importers.

He also alleged that Sandro Marcos called Romualdez, supposedly relaying instructions from the President to stop the House investigation into rice prices.

Laurel dismissed Co’s claims, calling them fabricated and good only for Netflix.

A day after Co tagged her in alleged agriculture importation rackets, the First Lady said she prefers to focus on teaching future legal counsels about truth and the law.—AOL, GMA News