Ombudsman claps back on Co’s revelations, urges ‘verify claims, return to PH’

Hours after former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co released a series of “tell-all” videos on his Facebook page detailing alleged insertions in the national budget, the Office of the Ombudsman on Nov. 15 urged him to return to the Philippines and provide evidence for his claims.

“G. Co, umuwi kayo. Isumite ang inyong salaysay. Ipaberipika ang inyong mga pahayag. Sumailalim sa parehong proseso na pinagdadaanan ng lahat. Kung tunay na layunin ninyo ang hustisya, dito iyon magsisimula — hindi sa ingay, kundi sa tamang proseso,” the Ombudsman said.

In a statement, the Philippines’ anti-corruption watchdog, said that processing all testimonies regarding the budget insertion allegation must “go through rigorous verification,” however slow, to ensure justice.

“Ang mga testigo ay lumalapit, nagsusumite ng salaysay, at dumadaan sa masusing beripikasyon. Mabagal man ito minsan, ito ang tanging paraan para masigurong ang hustisya ay matibay, hindi haka-haka,” the Ombudsman stated.

Since Nov. 14, Co has posted two of a supposed three-part video series and other documents, marking his first major public statement since his resignation in late September, following widespread revelations of corruption in government agencies.

Co, who also served as House Appropriations Committee chair during his term, detailed in the files how officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., ordered him to insert P100 billion into the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

For this, the Ombudsman took issue with Co’s actions, saying that their office had long been open to the resigned solon’s statements on the allegations, yet he chose to “avoid the process.”

“Pinili ni G. Zaldy Co na umiwas sa prosesong ito. Sa halip na magsalaysay sa tanggapan, inilalabas niya ang kanyang kuwento sa mga video at social media. Dahil dito, kailangan naming huminto at suriin ang bawat sinabi — dahil lahat ng testigo, walang espesyal, ay dumadaan sa parehong pagsusuri,” the Ombudsman said.

“Matagal nang bukas ang pinto ng Ombudsman sa kanya. Matagal na rin naming hinihiling na ipresenta niya ang kanyang ebidensya nang maayos,” it added.

Co has been out of the Philippines since July for medical treatment and has repeatedly said that a “credible threat” to his life remains, prodding the Ombudsman to guarantee his protection as a witness.

“At kung ang dahilan ng pag-iwas ay takot, malinaw naming sinasabi: handa po kaming magbigay ng proteksyon. Ang kaligtasan ng isang testigo ay mahalaga sa katotohanan na hinahanap natin,” Ombudsman said.

Malacañang Palace has since also slammed Co’s latest claims as “hearsay,” with Acting Presidential Communications Secretary Secretary Dave Gomez saying the video offers “no new evidence” and calling for the former solon to return to the Philippines and “face the music.”

“We may begin to sound like a broken record. What he is saying is a bunch of hearsay. Sabi nito, sabi ni ano. Hindi nag-rewrite ng script sa second video kahit na kanal na ‘yung una,” Gomez said.