Resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co insisted on Tuesday that orders for the budget insertions came from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself, following claims that he had no knowledge of such arrangements.
Moreover, Co accused Marcos’ son, House Majority Floor Leader Sandro Marcos, of pushing for his own insertions, which allegedly total ₱50.938 billion from 2023 to 2025.
“Sa akin mismo, diretsahan niyang sinabi: ‘Huwag mo akong pigilan sa mga insertions ko. Huwag ka nang makialam sa budget.’ Dahil sa mga binitawang salita sa akin ni BBM, naging malinaw sa akin na siya mismo ang nag-utos kina Secretary Amenah Pangandaman at Usec. Adrian Bersamin na ipasok ang ₱100 billion worth of projects,” Co said in his most recent video.
The former lawmaker claimed that Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Jose “Jojo” Cadiz Jr. told him the President demanded an additional ₱50-billion insertion. Co responded that he already had orders from then-Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman to make a ₱100 billion insertion. Cadiz then said he would ask the President if the ₱50 billion could be included in the ₱100 billion project insertions. Marcos purportedly rejected this proposition, and instructed him to request more insertions.
“Doon ko nakita at naramdaman na hindi puwedeng sabihin ng Pangulo na wala siyang alam sa mga nangyayari, kasi mismong siya ang nagbibigay ng utos. Ako mismo ang nakasaksi at nakausap ng mga taong direktang sangkot, kaya hindi na puwedeng maghugas-kamay at magturo na parang inosente,” Co said.
The resigned congressman added that Marcos allegedly inserted ₱97 billion in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for next year. Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan confirmed this, Co said. He supposedly found out during a meeting with former House Speaker Martin Romualdez in Forbes Park.
Co then said that Sandro Marcos would make insertions yearly: in 2023, ₱9.636 billion; in 2024, ₱20.174 billion; and in 2025, ₱21.127 billion.
He claimed that the younger Marcos was very angry at him during deliberations for the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“Ang sabi daw niya, ipatatanggal ako at magf-file ng maraming kaso laban sa akin, kasi kulang ng ₱8 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 iyon,” Co explained.
A week ago, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson claimed that Marcos knew nothing of the insertions he was believed to have ordered. Malacañang personnel, the senator said, had told Co to make the ₱100 billion insertion in the President’s name.
