FORMER House Committee on Appropriations chairman and Ako Bicol party-list Representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co was the proponent of over P13.8 billion in insertions in the 2025 national budget, Navotas Representative Tobias Tiangco said Monday, September 8, 2025.
During the resumption of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on irregularities in flood control projects, Tiangco presented some of the findings of his research on the insertions in the 2025 national budget.
He said he looked into the matter after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. asked the Senate and the House of Representatives to submit their respective amendments to the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), considering that funding for his flagship programs had been removed.
Based on Tiangco’s presentation, Co inserted additional funding for infrastructure allocations for specific provinces, including Abra, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, Bukidnon, Camarines Norte, Sarangani Province, Pangasinan, Tuguegarao, Mandaue City, Manila City, Badian in Cebu, Davao del Norte and Quezon City.
The bulk of Co’s alleged insertions was allocated to Abra at P3,468,345,000; Occidental Mindoro at P3.2 billion; and Oriental Mindoro at P3,105,759,000.
In Mandaue City, the additional allocation totaled P200 million, while P100 million was allotted for Badian, Cebu.
Tiangco said some legislators have a habit of temporarily placing their budget insertions in other congressional districts, which results in ballooning allocations.
He said two terms are used for such a scheme: “parking,” which refers to instances when a lawmaker asks a district to temporarily hold the funds, and “sagasa,” which means the funds are allocated to a district regardless of whether the district agrees or not.
“Sabi ng ilang congressman diyan (from the involved congressional district), 'hindi amin yan, hindi namin ni-request yan,'” said Tiangco.
(Some lawmakers from the involved congressional district said, “That’s not ours, we didn’t request that.”)
“Kaya hindi na ako nagtanong kung parada yan or sagasa. Kasi, normally, kunwari yan ang ni-request ko. Dapat ako ang proponent at ‘yung congressional district. So, 'pag magkaiba, magtataka kayo kung bakit,” he added.
(That’s why I no longer asked whether it was “parking” or “sagasa.” Because normally, for example, if I were the one who requested it, I should be the proponent along with the congressional district. So if they don’t match, you would wonder why.)
During the opening of the House Joint Committees on Public Accounts, Public Works and Highways, and Good Government and Public Accountability inquiry into the anomalous flood control projects in the country on September 2, Tiangco tried to present the matter, but he was turned down by the committees.
He also urged the joint panel to invite Co to the House investigation so he could shed light on the matter, but the request was rejected.
House Committee on Public Accounts, Public Works and Highways chairperson and Bicol Saro party-list Representative Terry Ridon said Co could be compelled to testify if credible evidence surfaces.
Tiangco said the investigation should no longer continue if House members are not allowed to serve as resource persons.
Co co-founded Sunwest Inc., a construction firm that has secured dozens of government flood control projects nationwide since July 2022.
His brother, former lawmaker Christopher Co, co-founded Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp., another major contractor implicated in the flood control rollout.
Sunwest Inc. and Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp. were among the top 15 construction companies that cornered the most flood control projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways from 2022 to 2025. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)