Rep. Toby Tiangco: I uncovered ₱13.8B budget insertions of Zaldy Co

Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco stressed that he was the one who uncovered ₱13.8 billion worth of insertions in the 2025 budget by Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, former chair of the House Committee on Appropriations.

Tiangco’s revelation was validated when former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) District Engineer Henry Alcantara disclosed that Co gave P24 billion to P35 billion worth of projects for DPWH Bulacan First DEO’s implementation from 2022 to 2025.

“Sa bawat proyekto na pinapasok ni Cong Zaldy, meron akong binigay na obligasyon sa kanya base sa aming kasunduan. Noong 2022, ang kanilang hinihingi na budget sa bawat proyekto ay 20% lamang po. ‘Yun po yung 20% po na 2022 inaayos po namin doon sa litrato po na naipakita sa House investigation,” Alcantara told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

During an earlier interview, Tiangco said he discovered this after attending a Malacañang meeting on March 24, where he was asked to present a list of projects reportedly endorsed by lawmakers.

Wanting to ensure accuracy and transparency, he said he personally verified the projects by cross-checking the proponents with the districts where they would be implemented.

“Ang ginawa ko nung nakuha ko yung listahan, siyempre ako ang magpi-present sa executive. Baka naman kung magkamali ako ng presentation, ako mapagdudahan at ako masisi,” Tiangco explained.

“Paglabas ko, tinawagan ko si Cong. J.J. Suarez. Sabi ko, bigay yung listahan ng House insertions. Ang ginawa ko nung nakuha ko yung listahan, siyempre ako ang magpi-present sa executive. Baka naman kung magkamali ako ng presentation, ako mapagdudahan at ako masisi,” Tiangco explained in an interview.

“Kailangan kasing pag-isipan kung legit yung proyektong ito o hindi. So ang only way para sa akin, inisip ko, paano ko malalaman, is pagkumparahin yung proponent at district na pupuntahan. Kasi hindi logical na isang congressman hihingi ng proyekto, tapos hindi naman dadalhin sa distrito niya,” he said.

From that exercise, Tiangco discovered and revealed that Co made the single biggest insertion — ₱13.8 billion worth of DPWH projects in different parts of the country— far larger than the requests of other lawmakers.

The Navotas lawmaker said the amount was only for Co and did not include additional insertions for his partylist.