Malacañang rejects Zaldy Co’s cash delivery allegations as hearsay
Paulo Gaborni November 15, 2025 at 09:15 PM
MANILA – Malacañang has firmly denied the allegations made by former congressman Zaldy Co, who posted a second video on Saturday claiming he delivered suitcases allegedly filled with cash to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Presidential Communications Office Acting Secretary Dave Gomez dismissed Co’s statements as “baseless fabrications,” emphasizing that the accusations amounted to mere gossip.
“We may begin to sound like a broken record. What he is saying is a bunch of hearsay. Sabi nito, sabi ni ano. Hindi nag-rewrite ng script sa second video kahit na kanal na yung una,” Gomez told reporters.
On Friday, Gomez described the claims in Co’s videos as “wild allegations” lacking any supporting evidence. “These wild accusations are completely without basis and fact. All the charges leveled against the President are pure hearsay,” he said.
The Palace official also urged Co to return to the Philippines and testify under oath. “Rep. Zaldy Co should come back to the country and sign everything he said under oath with the proper judicial authorities,” Gomez stressed.
Co, a former Ako Bicol representative, claimed in his video posted Saturday, Nov. 15, that he and his team personally delivered the alleged money-filled suitcases to high-security locations, including the residences of Marcos and Romualdez in Forbes Park and Malacañang.
“Ako lang at ang aking mga tao, sina Paul Estrada[…], at ang aking mga security ang nag-deliver papunta sa bahay nina Pangulong Bongbong Marcos at Speaker Romualdez sa North Forbes Park, South Forbes Park hanggang sa Malacañang,” Co said.
He insisted he never kept any of the money and displayed the suitcases he claimed once contained the cash. “Wala pong perang napunta sa akin. Lahat po ng insertion [ay] napunta sa ating Pangulo at Speaker Martin Romualdez,” Co stated.
The former lawmaker further alleged that a substantial portion of the supposed infrastructure budget “insertions” went directly to the President. “Ang sinagot sa akin ay 25 percent, ibig sabihin nito, 25 percent ng 100 million ang SOP na kailangang ibigay kay BBM mismo. In total, 25 billion pesos ang napunta kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos,” Co claimed.
Co also supported the claims made by his former security aide, Orly Guteza, saying: “Totoo po yung sinasabi ni Orly Guteza na nag-deliver siya sa Forbes Park. Totoo din po ang sinasabi ni Orly Guteza na nag-deliver siya sa Malacañang nung siya ay nasa Senado.”
Guteza, a former Philippine Marine who served as Co’s security aide in 2024, appeared before a Senate panel last September after being presented by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta. However, in October, the Manila Regional Trial Court ruled that the signature on Guteza’s affidavit did not belong to the lawyer listed on the document—raising concerns about the authenticity of parts of his testimony.
Despite the sensational nature of the video, Malacañang maintains that Co’s allegations remain unsubstantiated and continues to challenge him to return to the country and testify under oath.
📷 Screengrab from Zaldy Co’s video