November 25, 2025
MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. dismissed the fresh accusations of resigned lawmaker Zaldy Co against him and challenged him to return to the country and prove his claims to his face.
“It means nothing,” Marcos said in a press briefing on Monday. “For it to mean something, he should come home. He should face his cases.”
“If he wants to say something, then say it. Prove it. But come home,” the President added.
“Why are you hiding so far away? I’m not hiding. If you have accusations against me, I’m right here,” Marcos said.
READ: Co: Romualdez ordered me to deliver P2 billion per month from DPWH deals
In another recorded video statement released on Monday, Co said he delivered P56.4 billion in cash hidden inside pieces of luggage from 2022 to 2025 to the residences of Marcos and his cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Of this, he said there were two deliveries for Marcos in December 2024 through Justice Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz.
Marcos denied receiving such money from Co.
Co claimed that Romualdez told him that the P55.4 billion the former House Speaker received would be equally divided between him and the President.
Of this, he said there were two deliveries for Marcos in December 2024 through Justice Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz, amounting to P1 billion.
Marcos denied receiving such money from Co.
READ: Interpol blue notice out for Zaldy Co, says DILG chief Remulla
Co was among the 16 personalities ordered by the Sandiganbayan to be arrested for their involvement in the substandard P289.5-million road dike project in Naujan town, Oriental Mindoro.
The project was funded by the DPWH’s 2024 budget, and awarded to Co’s Sunwest Corp.
They were charged with malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents and violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, for causing undue injury to the government.
The arrest warrants and hold departure orders stemmed from the first three cases to reach the Sandiganbayan in relation to the investigation of anomalous infrastructure projects as ordered by President Marcos.