MANILA, Philippines — Former lawmaker Elizaldy Co has come forward in a video statement claiming responsibility for inserting roughly P100 billion in projects into the 2025 national budget—allegedly under the direct instructions of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Co, who has been outside the country since July for a medical check-up, said he initially obeyed the orders believing he would be “taken care of,” only to later realize he was being used as a scapegoat in the government’s anti-corruption campaign.
“Ginagamit ng administrasyon ang buong resources ng bansa para tumahimik ako… that he will shoot me if I will talk and gagamitin ako bilang panakip butas sa kanilang kampanya laban sa korapsyon,” Co said in the video released on November 14.
The Alleged Budget Instructions
According to Co, the directive came from Budget Secretary Ameenah Pangandaman in late 2024 during the bicameral conference process. He claims he confirmed the order with Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, then relayed it to Romualdez, who allegedly told him: “What the president wants, gets.”
Co also described a meeting at a Malacañang building involving Pangandaman, Bersamin, Romualdez, and Department of Justice Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz, where a list of projects worth P100 billion—delivered in a brown leather bag—was handed to him. He says the allocation included P81.08 billion for infrastructure projects and around P18.76 billion for programs like the 2026 ASEAN Summit.
Despite concerns that such a large sum could surpass the education budget, Co said he was instructed to allocate the remaining P50 billion to the Office of the President’s unprogrammed funds, as it fell under its jurisdiction.
Ongoing Investigations
Co’s allegations come amid Senate and Independent Commission for Infrastructure investigations into flood control projects allegedly involving substandard materials or “ghost” infrastructure. He also faces complaints filed with the Office of the Ombudsman and is expected to face formal charges.
Philstar.com has reportedly reached out to all implicated officials for comment. The video released by Co is said to be the first of two parts, with the second yet to be published.
This development adds another layer to ongoing debates over transparency and accountability in the 2025 budget process and the administration’s anti-corruption efforts.
