REP. Zaldy Co’s latest video was clearly crafted for one purpose: To provoke a strong reaction.
It was dramatic, emotional, and laced with sweeping accusations intended to suggest serious misconduct at the very highest levels of our national leadership.
But let this be clear: drama is not proof. Claims of this magnitude, which touch upon the integrity of the Office of the President and the Speaker of the House, cannot, and must not, rely on cinematic videos recorded abroad.
They must be backed by one thing: real, verifiable evidence.
A Claim This Serious Demands Proof
Co’s boldest, most inflammatory statement yet is his claim that he personally delivered suitcases of cash to Malacañang and to Speaker Martin Romualdez.
That allegation collapses the moment it is subjected to any scrutiny.
The claim that you personally delivered money to the President or the Speaker is extremely serious.
You cannot expect anyone in this nation to accept that based on words alone.
There must be documents, records, or any form of indisputable proof. Without that, it remains just a story, a narrative cooked up for effect.
Co also released images showing rows of luggage, claiming they contained cash payouts supposedly destined for the Palace.
But as I have noted, pictures of bags do not prove anything. There is zero verification of where they were taken, when they were taken, who handled them, or—most critically—what they contained.
There is not even proof that these bags were really delivered to the President or to Malacañang.
If these deliveries truly happened, there should be a clear trail.
But none was presented—no logs, no dates, no documents. In this case, the silence where evidence should be is far louder than the claim itself.
Contradictions That Reveal a Failing Narrative
A story based on truth is consistent. Co’s statements, however, contradict one another, raising immediate and serious questions about his credibility:
He claims he delivered money.
He claims he never received money.
He claims he acted under pressure.
He claims he is exposing the truth.
You simply cannot present two contradictory statements and expect both to be taken as truth. When a story conflicts with itself, it isn’t truth—it’s a sign that the narrative has serious, fundamental holes.
These inconsistencies form the weakest possible foundation for accusations of this magnitude.
Evidence Must Be Shown Where It Matters
If Co’s allegations were truly grounded in truth, he knows exactly what he needs to do.
He should present them here at home, under oath, before the institutions empowered to test their validity—not through a video filmed overseas, safely removed from cross-examination.
His insistence on avoiding proper legal scrutiny is even more glaring when you consider the public record:
President Marcos Jr. vetoed (₱194 billion) in questionable budget items. This is a documented act that directly contradicts any claim of hidden insertions.
A leader who demonstrably removes dubious allocations is not someone secretly inserting them. And until Co submits real evidence in the proper forum, his claims remain untested narratives, not proven fact.
Clarity Over Chaos
Co’s story changes. But what remains unchanged, despite the dramatic efforts, is the complete absence of proof.
If there is no evidence, then it is not truth. And the nation should not be distracted or disturbed by allegations that have nothing solid behind them.
Noise can stir chaos for a moment, but it cannot rewrite facts. It won’t be the noise that defeats the truth; it’s the truth that will silence the noise.
And until Co submits real evidence—under oath, in the proper forum—his allegations remain what they are: stories told from afar, not truths tested at home.
(The writer, a doctor of philosophy holder, serves as Chairman Emeritus of Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), Peoples Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and the Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement.)
