“Until Co is willing to show his evidence under oath and face the legal consequences of his actions, these allegations remain nothing more than stories”
Rep. Zaldy Co’s latest video release has triggered yet another wave of headlines, this time escalating his narrative to drag First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and House Senior Deputy Majority Leader Sandro Marcos into a web of supposed rice and onion cartels.
But as I watch this spectacle unfold, I am struck by a singular, recurring reality: the claims arrive with high drama, but they land without a single shred of evidence.
As a consistent advocate for truth and stability, I must call this what it is.
Accusations without proof are not whistleblowing. They are distractions, and distractions become dangerous when the public is fed misinformation disguised as revelation.
Scriptwriting, Not Whistleblowing
The inconsistencies in Co’s narrative are glaring.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. was right to dismiss these accusations as “baseless” and “total baloney.” When an official describes an accusation as “a script fit for Netflix,” it highlights the fictional nature of these claims.
Tiu clarified the only grain of truth in Co’s rambling was the discussion on lowering rice import tariffs—a policy proposal raised by many, not a conspiracy hatched in the shadows.
To twist policy discussions into insinuations of manipulation by the First Lady’s family is not just dishonest; it is a disservice to the public who deserves clarity on agricultural issues, not conspiracy theories.
The Credibility Deficit
The attacks have now broadened to include Rep. Sandro Marcos, with Co alleging a staggering ₱51 billion in “ordered” budget insertions. Rep. Marcos has firmly denied this, correctly identifying it as part of a destabilization effort.
We must ask ourselves: Who is making these claims? As Rep. Marcos noted, the accuser is “a criminal evading accountability, a fugitive from justice—not a crusader.”
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself has drawn the line, stating, “I do not negotiate with criminals.”
This sentiment is crucial.
Anyone who claims to hold the truth should be willing to face the law.
Real testimony is given before institutions where it can be cross-examined, not in videos filmed from hiding where the narrator controls the cut and the script.
A Pattern of Shifting Stories
What damages Co’s credibility the most is his own inconsistency.
In past videos, we have seen him alternate between claiming he delivered funds and claiming he received none.
Now, he introduces new villains and new amounts, yet the one thing that remains absent is proof.
Where are the documents?
Where are the directives?
Where are the corroborating testimonies given under oath?
When the story keeps changing but no evidence appears, credibility collapses.
The public is being asked to believe the word of a man who refuses to face the justice system over the word of officials who are doing the work of governance.
The Public Deserves Facts, Not Noise
I believe the Filipino people are tired of political noise.
We are a nation facing real challenges, and we need real solutions, not fabricated scandals designed to destabilize the administration.
Truth does not hide from scrutiny.
Until Rep. Co is willing to show his evidence under oath and face the legal consequences of his actions, these allegations remain nothing more than stories.
Without proof, and contradicted by every official statement, Co’s new claims—even those targeting the First Family—end up exactly where his earlier accusations did: Noise without evidence.
(The writer, holder of a doctor of philosphy degree, serves as Chairman Emeritus of four civic-oriented organizations: Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and the Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement, where he advocates for truth, stability, and the dignity of the Filipino people.)
