Vice President Sara Duterte’s earlier warning statements on the alleged manipulation of the national budget are once again in conversations.
This after former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co released a six-minute video through his former House staff on Friday, asserting that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had ordered P100 billion worth of projects to be inserted into the 2025 national budget.
In September last year, the vice president warned that Speaker Martin Romualdez and Co might be exerting undue influence over budget allocations, remarks that now shaping up to be true.
The issue resurfaced in January 2025 when former President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao Rep. Isidro Ungab claimed on a podcast that the 2025 national budget may include blank pages or missing allocations, irregularities that could render it unconstitutional or illegal.
Analysts say the recent disclosures of Co amplify the relevance of Duterte’s earlier warnings, underscoring the urgent need for stricter oversight of national funds.
Meanwhile, Co has finally spoken out after weeks of speculation, releasing a statement in which he alleged that his life has been threatened and efforts have been made to silence him amid the ongoing flood control corruption scandal.
Co said that influential figures are trying to keep him quiet, claiming that the “entire administration” is leveraging state resources to pressure him.
He even released a list of projects allegedly ordered by the President to be inserted into the 2025 national budget, with a total allocation of P100 billion.
“Sana po ay hindi nila ako mapatay bago ko ilabas ang lahat… Hindi na ako mananahimik, ilalabas ko ang lahat ng katotohanan. May resibo, may ebidensya at may pangalan,” he said.
