Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Speaks on Alleged Budget Insertions of Cong. Sandro Marcos
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President reacted to the alleged budget insertions of presidential son and Ilocos Norte Congressman Sandro Marcos.
Amid the flood control accusations against him, resigned House Budget Appropriations Committee chairman Zaldy Co refused to return to the Philippines. Instead, he released videos on social media wherein he tagged several government officials into the budget insertion issue and the supposed kickback system.
Zaldy Co claimed that Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez into the budget insertion and kickback issue. According to her, Marcos Jr. and Romualdez allegedly masterminded a P100-billion budget insertion in the 2025 national fund.
Co, formerly the representative of Ako Bicol Partylist, also claimed that the President and the former House Speaker allegedly received a P56-billion kickback all for themselves. The Palace challenged him to return to the country and testify under oath.
According to Malacañang press officer undersecretary Claire Castro, Zaldy Co allegedly wants the flood control investigation to stop so he tagged the President. However, he did not stop with his allegations against the President and the former House Speaker.
Zaldy Co also took to social media the alleged budget insertion of Ilocos Norte Cong. Sandro Marcos. He stressed that the budget insertions of the presidential son supposedly took an increasing trend and has reached over P50 billion in just three (3) years.
Following the accusations of Co, the younger Marcos expressed his openness to appear before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure. The ICI was created upon the order of his father for the flood control investigation.
Cong. Sandro Marcos appeared before the ICI but requested for an executive session which was immediately granted by the investigative body. On his appearance before the commission, he stressed that “no one is above the law”.
Recently, while she’s in The Hague, Netherlands, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte was asked about her reaction to the claims that called presidential son and Ilocos Norte Cong. Sandro Marcos as “Pork Barrel King”. According to her, she has yet to receive and review the documents over the matter.
“Wala pa sa akin ‘yung mga dokumento, Ma’am noh. Hindi ko pa na-review so hindi muna ako mag-comment sa ganyan,” the Vice President said.
Based on a post of News5 on social media, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claimed that the congressmen allegedly have many budget insertions in the national fund. According to her, Cong. Sandro Marcos is included and the claims against him is supposedly not based on hearsay.
“Pero ang pwede ko pong i-comment ay madami talaga ang mga insertions ang iba’t ibang congressman kasama na si Cong. Sandro Marcos at nakikita natin sa papel ‘yun. Hindi siya tsismis, hindi siya ‘yung gawa-gawa lamang,” Duterte said based on the post.
Amid the rift between them, the Presidential Communications Officer previously claimed that Pres. Bongbong Marcos is open for a dialogue with Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.