Two personal assistants affiliated with Ako Bicol party-list on Friday firmly denied involvement in transporting suitcases of cash, purportedly referred to as “basura,” in connection with the ongoing Senate Blue Ribbon investigation into alleged irregularities in flood-control projects.
In separate sworn affidavits, Mark Bunagan—a resident of Taguig City—and Allan Colesio refuted the testimony of Orly Regala Guteza, who recently volunteered to stand as witness in the ongoing corruption probe.
Guteza claimed that he personally delivered large sums of cash in luggage—which he said was labeled “basura” (garbage)—to various residences of Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Both vehemently denied the allegations.
He also implicated Bunagan and Colesio by name, claiming they have served as Co’s security consultants.
“I deny his statement that I was hired as a security consultant for Congressman Zaldy Co on December 5, 2024. The truth is, we only worked together as personal assistants for other family members of Congressman Co from February 1, 2025 until he stopped reporting for work in August 2025,” Bunagan said. Colesio confirmed this as well.
Bunagan and Colesio denied ever witnessing or participating in the alleged movement of cash.
“During the entire time we worked together, I have no recollection of ever hearing or reading about deliveries of bags of cash to any location, including the 56th floor of Horizon Residences or 42 McKinley Street in Taguig, as claimed by Orly Regala Guteza,” they said.
Both affiants stressed that they were neither coerced nor compensated to issue their statements. They also expressed willingness to testify before the Senate or any court to corroborate their accounts.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is currently probing allegations that billions of pesos in flood-control funds were misallocated. Co has repeatedly denied the allegations.
