EMBATTLED former Ako Bicol party-list representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co claimed on Friday, November 14, 2025, that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) was aware of the irregularities in the 2025 national budget.
In a video message posted on his social media account, Co said it was Marcos himself who ordered the insertion of P100 billion worth of projects in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“Nagsimula ito nung tumawag si Secretary Mina Pangandaman sa akin nung nag-umpisa ang bicam process last year 2024. Ang sabi niya, katatapos lang ng meeting nila ni Pangulo at may instructions na magpasok o mag-insert ng P100 billion worth of projects sa bicam. Sabi pa niya, you can confirm with Usec. Adrian Bersamin dahil magkasama sila sa meeting ni BBM nung araw na yon,” Co said.
(This started when Secretary Mina Pangandaman called me at the start of the bicameral conference process last year, 2024. She said they had just finished a meeting with the President and there were instructions to insert P100 billion worth of projects in the bicam. She added that I could confirm with Usec. Adrian Bersamin, because he was with them in the meeting with BBM that day.)
Pangandaman is the secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), while Bersamin is the head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office.
Co said Bersamin confirmed Marcos' instruction, which prompted him to call and ask permission from then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“Sinabi niya (Romualdez) sa akin (he told me), what the President wants he gets,” he added.
Co said Bersamin, nephew of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, provided him a list of projects worth P100 billion for insertion.
He said Bersamin told them that the list came from the President himself.
“Tinanong ko po si Usec. Adrian Bersamin kung saan galing ang listahan, at ang sagot niya galing kay PBBM mismo at binigay niya ito mula sa brown leather bag,” Co said.
(I asked Usec. Adrian Bersamin where the list came from, and he said it came directly from PBBM, and he handed it over from a brown leather bag.)
“Noong sinabi po ni Bersamin ang brown leather bag, naalala ko nung nasa Singapore kami right after the elections, May 2022, sa Hilton Hotel kami ni dating House Speaker Romualdez at PBBM. Habang pauwi at pabalik ng Pilipinas, hinabol ng PSG ang brown leather bag at ang sabi ni PBBM, ‘maiwan na ang lahat ‘wag lang ang brown leather bag.’ Kaya naniwala ako na utos talaga ito ng Pangulo,” he added.
(When Bersamin mentioned the brown leather bag, I remembered that right after the elections in May 2022, while we were at the Hilton Hotel in Singapore with former House Speaker Romualdez and PBBM, the PSG chased the brown leather bag as we were heading back to the Philippines. PBBM said, “Leave everything behind except the brown leather bag.” That’s why I believed this was truly the President’s order.)
After several days, Co said he asked Pangandaman, Romualdez, and Bersamin if P50 billion could be inserted into the unprogrammed funds, since the budget allocation for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) could not be higher than that of the Department of Education (DepEd).
“Pagkatapos ng isang araw, tinawagan ako ni Sec. Mina at sinabi ang mensahe ng Pangulo ‘ipasok ninyo yan at hindi na pwedeng baguhin.’ Kumbaga ang utos ng hari hindi pwedeng mabali. Again, I informed the Speaker and asked clearance about the instruction ng Pangulo at ang sabi niya ‘wala tayong magagawa,’” said Co.
(After one day, Sec. Mina called me and relayed the President’s message: “Insert this, and it cannot be changed.” It’s like a king’s order—it cannot be reversed. Again, I informed the Speaker and asked for clearance about the President’s instruction, and he said, “There’s nothing we can do.”)
“Kaya po nagtataka ako bakit sinasabi ng Pangulo na hindi niya makilala ang budget samantalang lahat ng binawas at dinagdag sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno ay humihingi ng approval sa kanya si Sec. Mina Pangandaman,” he added.
(That’s why I am surprised that the President says he does not recognize the budget, when in fact all additions and cuts to government agencies require approval from Sec. Mina Pangandaman.)
Based on the documents provided by Co, P81,082,503,000 worth of projects on Marcos’ list was under the DPWH, while over P2.8 billion went to the Philippine Coconut Authority, P2 billion each to the National Electrification Administration and National Housing Authority, P5.405 billion under the Office of the President, and P6.5 billion for the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
Co said he left the Philippines on July 19 for a medical check-up and was about to return after Marcos’ fourth State of the Nation Address, but he was prevented from going back home by Romualdez.
“Habang papauwi na ako, tinawagan ako ni Romualdez at sinabihan na stay out of the country and you will be well taken care of as instructed by the President. Noon, naniniwala pa ako sa kanila kaya hindi ako bumalik, tumikom ang aking bibig, sumunod ako,” Co said.
(As I was about to return home, Romualdez called me and said, “Stay out of the country and you will be well taken care of as instructed by the President.” At that time, I still trusted them, so I did not return, kept my mouth shut, and complied.)
“Pero ang hindi ko alam, ang ibig pala nilang sabihin na aalagaan ka namin ay gagamitin ako bilang panakip butas sakanilang kampanya laban sa korapsyon. Ginawa nila akong poster boy ng kanilang sariling kasinungalingan. Ngayon, hindi na ako mananahimik. Ilalabas ko ang lahat ng katotohanan may resibo, may ebidensya, may pangalan,” he added.
(What I did not know was that when they said they would “take care of me,” it meant I would be used as a cover in their anti-corruption campaign. They made me the poster boy of their own lies. Now, I will no longer remain silent; I will reveal the whole truth. There are receipts, evidence, and names.)
Marcos has yet to comment on Co’s accusations.
Co and Romualdez were in hot water for allegedly receiving billions worth of kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects.
In his Sona, Marcos ordered an in-depth investigation into the anomalous flood control projects in light of the massive flooding caused by typhoons that submerged communities.
The President has formed the Independent Commission on Infrastructure to probe irregularities in government projects, which funneled billions of public funds into the pockets of several corrupt officials. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)