• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has brushed aside a video statement issued by resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co implicating him in the insertion of about P100 billion for unprogrammed projects in the 2025 budget.
“I don’t even want to dignify what he is saying,” Marcos told reporters on the sidelines of his visit to Negros Occidental Nov. 15. “If you want to talk about the storm, we will talk about that.”
The President went to the typhoon-devastated areas of La Castellana and Moises Padilla to check the situation of the affected residents.
In a statement, Malacañang said the latest claims made by Co while in hiding abroad were all baseless and hearsay.
Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez reiterated the Palace’s challenge to Co to face investigation and to formalize his claims through a legally sworn affidavit.
“What he is saying is a bunch of hearsay. Sabi nito, sabi ni ano. Hindi nag rewrite ng script sa second video kahit na kanal na ‘yung una,” Gomez said.
Malacañang pointed out the President himself initiated the investigation into the corruption in flood control and other infrastructure projects, and created the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to ensure that all those involved in ghost and substandard projects are charged and embezzled public funds are recovered.
Marcos earlier said many of those who have been charged with graft and malversation for the anomalous flood control projects will see jail before Christmas.
The Office of the Ombudsman has urged Co to come home and submit statements under oath.
“If the intention is to help uncover the truth, then let us pursue it in the manner that leads to real and enforceable accountability – not through spectacle, but through the rules that govern us all,” the Ombudsman said in a statement. “Let the facts speak. Let the truth stand. Accountability does not choose its target. Let the axe fall where it should.”
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) also issued a statement on the allegations made by Co.
“We likewise caution against the political exploitation of these allegations, especially when released at sensitive moments that may inflame public sentiment or be used to influence political outcomes,” it said.
The CBCP said that if his accusations are credible and substantial, Co should return to the country and file charges before the proper authorities under oath, and supported by verifiable evidence.
“Public declarations on social media, however alarming, cannot take the place of formal testimony in the appropriate legal venues. For the good of the nation, such claims must be examined transparently, impartially, and in accordance with the rule of law,” the CBCP further said. | GB
