The Palace dared resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co to return to the Philippines and make his allegations against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. under oath on Friday.

“Lahat ng mga sinasabi ni Zaldy Co ay pawang mga imbento lamang, walang basehan, walang ebidensya. Umuwi muna siya sa Pilipinas at sumpaan ang kanyang mga sinabi, at harapin ang mga demanda o kaso laban sa kanya,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a press conference at the Malacañang.

She stressed that while Co’s accusations against the President are unsubstantiated, Co’s involvement has been supported by a plethora of evidence. She asserted that Co needed to point fingers to redirect the narrative away from him.

“Ang pagkakasangkot ng pangalan ni Zaldy Co ay bunga ng mga ebidensya, mga testimonya, at mga ‘di umanong pagpapayaman niya, na makikita sa mga ari-ariang naipundar nila,” Castro told the media.

“Dahil lumiliit na ang mundo ni Zaldy Co, kailangan niyang umiwas at iiwas ang sarili, at mag-namedrop kahit walang katibayan at laway lang ang puhunan. Para masagip ang sarili sa paratang ng pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan at mapalitaw na siya ang biktima, siya ay magtatahi ng maling kuwento laban sa ibang tao. Magtuturo ng iba, puwera ang sarili niya, kahit na ang ari-arian niya, at ng kanyang pamilya ay nagsusumigaw ng ebidensya laban sa kanya,” she added.

Castro also pointed out that Co’s account only raised more questions than it answered about the flood control project scandal, including his own role in it.

Besides this, she emphasized that the President had initiated the wide-reaching, careful investigation into the matter, and would have avoided it altogether if he had anything to do with it.

“Bakit niya pasisimulan ang malalimang pag-iimbestiga, mag-establish ng ICI (Independent Commission for Infrastructure)—independent commission to investigate the anomalous flood control projects and other infrastructure kung ang Pangulo ay may kinalaman dito? Logic! Hindi ba dapat na iiwasan niya ang isyu na ito kung siya mismo ang mapapaso?” she remarked.

Earlier in the day, Co sent a video to reporters in which he alleged that Marcos was the mastermind behind the insertion of ₱100 billion into projects and that he was told to stay out of the country.