Metro Manila, Philippines – Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is preparing to file a cyberlibel case against resigned lawmaker Zaldy Co for his publicized claims on alleged smuggling and corruption schemes in his department.

This follows Co’s most recent video that implicates First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and her brother Martin Araneta in alleged agricultural smuggling schemes under the Department of Agriculture.

Tiu Laurel denied all of Co’s accusations, calling all his allegations lies.

“I told them to prepare a case…Syempre gusto ko talaga mag-file na ngayon pero siyempre you have to think, kailangan natin mag-isip mabuti,” he said in a briefing on Thursday, Nov. 27.

[Translation: Of course, I really want to file the case now. But, of course you have to think, we have to think carefully.]

Tiu Laurel said he is consulting his legal counsel, stressing that if he proceeds with filing the cyberlibel raps, it will be his personal decision. He said he wants to file the case by January 2026 at the earliest.

“We have to be very careful. We have to be very thorough, para pag-file natin ng kaso, pulido (so that when we file the case, it’s clean),” he said.

The agriculture chief also said that he is ready to provide evidence to counter Co’s accusations in court.

“If I am instructed by the court, or if I have a court order, definitely. Gusto ko na nga ipakita kaya lang (I want to show the evidence now but) I am bound by the law,” he said.

Co is on the run and refuses to return to the country amid investigations on his alleged involvement in the anomalous flood control mess and budget insertions for ghost infrastructure projects.