Metro Manila, Philippines – Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, who previously chaired the House appropriations panel, is facing an ethics complaint after he was implicated in the flood control scandal.
Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco filed the complaint at the House ethics committee on Monday, Sept. 23, noting that Co violated the Constitution, Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, and House rules.
Tiangco earlier accused Co of inserting P13 billion in the closed-door bicameral conference committee, which reconciles the differing provisions in the Senate and House’s budget bills.
“He masterminded, tolerated, and deliberately allowed last-minute insertions and realignments,” the complaint, shared to the media on Tuesday, Sept. 23, read.
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Tiangco noted that “insertions bypassed priority projects” and that “certain foreign-assisted projects were diverted to unprogrammed appropriations.”“The justification for these acts remain a mystery to every member because the Small Committee had no Committee reports, minutes of meeting, or any written explanation filed at the Archives of the House of Representatives. They remain as secrets and puzzles only Representative Co can explain,” the complaint stated.’ ‘7’: ‘contentWidth’: ‘100%’ ’embedCode’: ‘
2025 SMALL COMMITTEE REPORT
WATCH: Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, a critic of the current budget, asks for the small committee report on the proposed 2025 national budget.
The small committee is the body that gathers the institutional amendments which are discussed behind closed… pic.twitter.com/NI6jP4xkci
— NewsWatch Plus PH (@newswatchplusph) August 18, 2025
