Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said ex-Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co’s bombshell testimony lacked probative value, considering that the latter was not under oath when he made the expose.
Co on Friday broke his silence, admitting to inserting P100 billion in the budget, claiming that it was done under the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
But speaking to reporters in an ambush interview also on Friday, Lacson described Co’s testimony as a mere story or narration.
‘Nothing. It’s just narration – a story. It’s not under oath. If he comes here, takes an oath, and states his testimony – then that’s what will have probative value,’ said Lacson, speaking in Filipino, when he was asked how he views Co’s testimony.
According to Lacson, it is hard to speculate whether or not Marcos maneuvered for a P100 billion worth of insertion in this year’s budget.
‘Why would he? I’m not defending the President. Why would he insert P100 billion in the bicam, when he could already do that in the National Expenditure Program? Second, why would he veto it? Why would he put it under ‘For Later Release?’ Lacson pointed out.
The Senate’s second top leader said he is not saying that Co’s testimony is unbelievable. He, however, pointed out that at face value, it appears hard to decipher.
‘We’re talking about something that’s really just common sense, because I know the budget process. The budgeting process starts with the NEP, where the President has complete control over what should be included in it. So if that’s the case, why would he still ask for insertions during the bicam?’ asked Lacson.
But in a separate statement also issued on Friday evening, Co responded to Lacson, directing the Senate President Pro Tempore to first review the full list of alleged ‘insertions’ done under the directive of President Marcos.
Co pointed out that these were clearly reflected in the General Appropriations Act of 2025.
‘You may cross-check the NEP 2025 to verify if the same line items appear there. To assist you, I have attached the list with the exact page references from the GAA 2025,’ said Co.
‘I suggest that before making statements that may unfairly prejudice the issue, the Senator should examine the documents in full,’ he added.
Co said the public deserves a ‘fair, complete, and evidence-based investigation, not conclusions drawn without first seeing the whole picture.’
Co has recently been implicated on alleged anomalous infrastructure projects, particularly flood control works in Bulacan. Former district and assistant engineers testified that he was involved in budget insertions that ballooned to at least P35 billion from 2022 to 2025.
They further claimed that kickbacks were delivered to Co, including one alleged delivery of P1 billion in cash packed into more than 20 suitcases and transported in several vans to his penthouse unit at a luxury hotel in Taguig.
The resigned lawmaker was supposed to be invited in the Senate panel on blue ribbon’s hearing into anomalous flood control projects on Friday, but panel head Lacson he dropped the plan to do so, fearing that allowing the Co to participate virtually in the hearing might give him a ‘platform to say anything he wants, with his testimony lacking probative value – or worse, ‘propaganda’ without the risk of being cited in contempt.