Marcos dismisses Co claims on PHP100B insertion

By Glazyl M. Jopson

LA CASTELLANA, Negros Occidental — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. refused to comment on allegations made by former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co over supposed budget insertions, saying he did not want to “dignify” the claims.

Marcos told reporters that his priority was the government’s response to Typhoon Tino as he visited the heavily affected towns of La Castellana and Moises Padilla on Saturday.

“If you want to talk about the storm, we’ll talk about that. I don’t want to even dignify what he was saying,” Marcos said after a situation briefing with local officials at the La Castellana Municipal Council building.

He did not stay for additional media interviews.

The president inspected damaged areas in Moises Padilla and visited evacuees at La Castellana Elementary School.

Co, who has been implicated by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure in alleged irregularities involving flood control project allocations, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

He released a video statement on Monday accusing the president of orchestrating budget insertions. In the first part of his video, Co said he feared for his life and vowed to reveal the truth, claiming he had “receipts, evidence, and names.”

On Saturday, Co released a second installment of his exposé, alleging that both the president and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez received money from supposed PHP 100 billion in budget insertions.

He claimed he personally delivered suitcases of cash to both of them at their residences and even at Malacañang, saying his staff kept records of the alleged deliveries.

He also released photos of the suitcases he said were used in the supposed transactions.

Acting Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez again dismissed Co’s allegations, calling them baseless and mere hearsay.

Gomez reiterated the government’s challenge for Co to return to the Philippines, make his statements under oath, and “face the music.”