President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday refused to answer the claim of resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co that he was behind the supposed P100 billion “insertions” in the 2025 national budget.
“If you want to talk about the storm, let’s talk about that. I don’t want to even dignify what he’s saying, “ Marcos said when asked for his reaction to Co’s claim as he was leaving a situational briefing on the typhoon damages held in La Castellana, Negros Occidental.
He then left without entertaining any other questions.
Bayan Negros said Marcos’ arrival in Negros came at a moment of widespread anger following Co’s revelation that he allegedly inserted over P100 billion worth of infrastructure projects into the 2025 national budget, P1.7 billion of which was in Negros Occidental alone.
This includes allocations for La Castellana and Isabela, two of the areas hardest hit by the storm, it said.
BAYAN Negros called for a full investigation into the ₱1.7 billion budget insertions identified in the Co exposé and all related projects in Negros Occidental.
“We also warn against attempts by the Duterte faction to present themselves as crusaders against corruption. Their political record speaks for itself. Their involvement in the present conflict stems from competing ambitions, not a commitment to clean governance,” Bayan Negros said.
Co released two videos on Facebook claiming that the President and former House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez had ordered P100 billion worth of insertions in the 2025 national budget.
Co further alleged that Marcos had received P25 billion as an “SOP” (standard operating procedure), adding that the money stored in suitcases was delivered to the President’s official residence at the Malacañang compound.
In a statement, Presidential Communications Office acting Secretary Dave Gomez dismissed the fresh claim as a “bunch of hearsay.”
Gomez also challenged Co anew to return to the country and “face the music” in connection with his alleged involvement in the flood control anomalies.
“We continue to issue the same challenge. Come home, sign these under oath, and face the music,” Gomez said.*with a report from PNA