MANILA, Philippines – Hindi kumbinsido si House Deputy Minority Leader ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio sa salaysay na “I’m a victim” ni Zaldy Co kaugnay ng pagbaha at iba pang anomalya sa proyektong pang-imprastraktura.
Sa isang pahayag nitong Linggo, ipinunto ni Tinio na ang mga sinasabing kumpanya ni Co ang pangunahing benepisyaryo ng umano’y maanomalyang mga proyekto.
“He is not the victim. He was chair of the (House) Committee on Appropriations and the fact is now that his companies cornered the most or the largest amount in the flood control projects,” saad ni Tinio, tinutukoy ang 19th Congress o ang unang tatlong taon ng Marcos administration.
Inamin ni Tinio na maaaring natatakot si Co na gawing scapegoat sa gitna ng lumalakas na pag-iingay ng publiko para sa pananagutan. Pero hindi siya biktima, sabi ng Makabayan solon.
“Of course he’s not a victim, however, I think what he means is that he’s feeling the pressure from the President, given the strong public clamor to hold accountable those most involved in this, and perhaps Zaldy Co thinks he will be made a scapegoat in the sense that he will be the one charged, he will be pinned down as the mastermind, so it seems he has crossed the rubicon so to speak. Now he’s saying it’s not just me,” paliwanag niya.
Iginiit ni Co na si Pangulong Marcos, sa pamamagitan ni Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, ay nag-utos ng pagpasok ng ₱100 bilyong halaga ng mga proyekto sa 2025 national budget, kung saan ang Pangulo ay tumanggap umano ng ₱25 bilyon o 25 porsiyento mula sa insertion.
Si Co–na nagbitiw bilang Ako Bicol Party-list congressman noong Setyembre 29–ay nagpahayag na ang buong administrasyong Marcos ay nais na patahimikin siya, at ang kanyang buhay ay nasa panganib.
“I don’t think it’s right to just dismiss what was said simply because it is a statement made not under oath,” sinabi ni Tinio tungkol sa pagsiwalat ni Co ng umano’y katiwalian sa pinakatuktok ng gobyerno.
“What’s better is to really look into the allegations. There are lists of projects. Malacañang’s defense… Sec. Pangandaman’s position is that all of the President’s projects are supposedly already in the NEP (National Expenditure Program). But actually, even with just a quick review, we haven’t fully studied it yet, we’ve already found at least six projects from the list provided by Zaldy Co that are not in the NEP but are in the GAA (General Appropriations Act), so definitely insertions took place,” paliwanag ni Tinio.
Ang NEP, na nagmumula sa ehekutibong sangay, ay ang pasimula sa GAA o pinagtibay na panukalang badyet. Ang Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan at Senado ang nagtutulungan sa batas para gawing GAA ang NEP.
“We need to take seriously and deepen the examination of Zaldy Co’s statements,” saad ni Tinio. RNT/MND
