Zaldy Co Dares Critics: 'Examine the Documents in Full' Before Making 'Conclusions'

Embattled former congressman Elizaldy Co has fired back at his critics in the Senate, issuing a defiant new statement that challenges lawmakers to 'examine the documents in full' before dismissing his explosive claims of budget manipulation.

This latest salvo comes after Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo 'Ping' Lacson slammed Co's initial allegations as mere 'narration' with 'no probative value.'

Co, who is currently overseas, is at the centre of a political firestorm after alleging that President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. personally directed the insertion of billions into the 2025 national budget.

In a new statement posted to social media on Friday, Co directly addressed the scepticism, urging senators to do their homework.

'I respectfully urge the concerned parties to first review the full list of alleged 'insertions,' done under the directive of President Marcos and clearly reflected in the GAA 2025', Co stated.

'You may cross-check the NEP 2025 to verify if the same line items appear there. To assist in this, I have attached the list with the exact page references from the GAA 2025.'

His challenge was a thinly veiled jab at Lacson, concluding: 'I suggest that before making statements that may unfairly prejudice the issue, one should examine the documents in full. The public deserves a fair, complete, and evidence-based investigation, not conclusions drawn without first seeing the whole picture.'

'Just a Narration': Lacson Dismisses Zaldy Co Budget Allegations

Co's new 'evidence-based' challenge is a direct response to Senator Lacson's forceful rebuttal of his original claims.

Speaking after a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects—a hearing Co was invited to but did not attend—Lacson said the former congressman's claims were worthless unless stated under oath.

'As of now, walang (it has no) probative value kasi hindi naman (because Co is not) under oath,' Lacson, who chairs the powerful committee, told reporters.

'Pumunta siya rito, mag-take oath siya, at sabihin niya 'yung statement niya. Then 'yun ang may probative value,' he challenged. (He should go here, take his oath, and repeat his statement—that one will have probative value.)

Lacson, a long-time watchdog of the national budget, also questioned the 'common sense' of Co's accusation.

'I know the budgeting process... the President has complete control over what should be inserted in the NEP. So if that's the case, why would he insert it in the bicam?' Lacson queried, while insisting he was not defending Marcos but simply found the claim 'hard to speculate' on.

The P100 Billion Bombshell and the Zaldy Co Subpoena Threat

The controversy erupted earlier when Co released a video message alleging that Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman had called him last year to relay a direct instruction from President Marcos.

The alleged order was to insert a staggering P100 billion in projects into the 2025 budget via the bicameral conference committee report.

Co claimed this amount, destined for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), was eventually reduced to P50 billion. He said the full P100 billion would have unconstitutionally made the DPWH budget larger than the Department of Education's (DepEd).

Despite the gravity of his claims, Co's credibility has been undermined by his refusal to appear before the Senate. His lawyer, Ruy Alberto Rondain, informed the committee that Co 'is still overseas due to medical reasons'.

This excuse was met with immediate suspicion. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian noted that the medical records Co provided were 'outdated.'

Gatchalian then made a conditional motion for the committee to issue a subpoena against Co. Lacson confirmed this is being considered, raising the stakes and painting Co's defiant social media statements as an attempt to wage a political war from afar while avoiding formal scrutiny.