MANILA — Former lawmaker Elizaldy Co released a video accusing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez of ordering him to insert around P100 billion into the national budget and then using him as a scapegoat in the administration’s anti-corruption campaign.

In the five-minute video sent to reporters, Co alleged that the administration was “exhausting all resources” to silence him and make him take the fall for the controversies surrounding the 2025 national budget and anomalous flood control projects.

“Ginagamit ng administrasyon ang buong resources ng bansa para tumahimik ako — that he will shoot me if I will talk and gagamitin ako bilang panakip butas sa kanilang kampanya laban sa korapsyon,” he said.

Co said he left the country on July 19 for a medical check-up and had planned to return after Marcos’ State of the Nation Address on July 28. However, he claimed Romualdez called him and told him to remain abroad, supposedly on the president’s instruction.

According to Co, Romualdez’s message was: “Stay out of the country; you will be looked after as the president instructed.” Co said he initially complied, believing the assurance.

He said this changed when he realized that to be “taken care of” meant being used as a “fall guy.” “Ginawa nila akong poster boy ng kanilang sariling kasinungalingan. Ngayon hindi na ako mananahimik. Ilalabas ko ang lahat ng katotohanan — may resibo, may ebidensya at may pangalan,” he added.

Co recounts alleged P100-billion insertion

Co said the supposed budget manipulation began in late 2024 after a call from Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman during the bicameral conference process. He claimed Pangandaman told him the president had ordered the insertion of P100 billion worth of projects and advised him to verify the directive with Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin.

He said Bersamin confirmed the instruction, prompting him to relay the message to Romualdez. “Right after our conversation, tinawagan ko po si dating Speaker Martin Romualdez at nireport ko ang instruction ng presidente to insert P100 billion projects at sinabi niya sa akin, ‘What the president wants, gets,’” Co said.

A meeting was then held at a Malacañang building attended by Pangandaman, Bersamin, Romualdez and Justice Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz. Co claimed Bersamin handed him a list of projects worth P100 billion contained in a “brown leather bag,” which Cadiz said came from the president.

Co said he raised concerns about inserting the full amount into the Department of Public Works and Highways budget, arguing it would exceed the education budget. He claimed he was told instead to place P50 billion in unprogrammed funds under the Office of the President.

Co’s office provided a list of infrastructure projects totaling roughly P81.08 billion, and other programs — including those for the 2026 ASEAN Summit — amounting to about P18.76 billion. He said he was later instructed that the full P100 billion had to remain because it had been “promised by Speaker Martin.”

Officials deny allegations

Palace press officer Claire Castro, Presidential Communications Office Acting Secretary Dave Gomez, and Pangandaman have rejected Co’s claims. Castro called the allegations lies during a Friday afternoon press briefing. 

The video Co released is reportedly the first of two parts.

Co faces multiple allegations

Aside from admitting involvement in the bicameral insertions, Co is also facing accusations of receiving kickbacks from flood control projects and of close ties with top contractors.

These projects are under investigation by the Senate and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, with reports of substandard materials and non-existent constructions. Complaints have been filed against Co before the Office of the Ombudsman, and formal charges are expected.

Co addressed the public again in another portion of the video statement circulated on Friday, reiterating that he was ordered to stay abroad.

“I stayed silent for a long time because I was given a direct order: ‘do not return to the Philippines and just stay quiet.’ I left on July 19, 2025 for my medical check-up, planning to return after the President’s SONA. But as I was about to come back, former Speaker Martin Romualdez called me and said to stay out of the country, and that I would be well taken care of as instructed by the President,” he said.

Contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya earlier named Co and several lawmakers in alleged kickback schemes for infrastructure projects in Senate blue ribbon hearings. Former Bulacan engineering officials Henry Alcantara and Brice Hernandez also implicated him.

Co denied these allegations, saying he would address them in the proper forum.