Marcos Jr. ‘reprimanded’ Romualdez on project funds, Tiangco tells Sandiganbayan
MANILA (UPDATED) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “reprimanded” former House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Nov. 24, 2024 allegedly taking funds meant for government projects in the national budget, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco told the Sandiganbayan on Tuesday as he also testified that he had information that resigned congressman Zaldy Co was “selling” projects.
He said he saw personally saw the president reprimand Romualdez and saying government could not put up large projects because he and Co — former chair of the appropriations committee — were taking money meant for them.
When asked by the prosecution what else Marcos said during the meeting, Tiangco said: “I remember him saying to Romualdez, ‘How many houses in Forbes Park do you want? How many airplanes do you need? How many Ferraris do you want? How much caviar can you eat?’”
Tiangco, who was testifying in the plunder case against Romualdez, said that in a private meeting on Dec. 2, 2024, he told the then House speaker that he had information that Co was “selling” projects in exchange for a kickback.
“I requested an additional P200 million through [ex-Pampanga Rep.] Dong Gonzales. Dong Gonzales relayed Zaldy Co’s 10% condition as a ‘presyong kamag-anak’ (family price), and I refused to proceed under that condition,” Tiangco said.
“I remember Speaker Romualdez telling me, ‘Dapat dumiretso ka na lang sa akin, (You should have gone directly to me)’,” he added.
Tiangco said he was disappointed with Romualdez because he expected him to address Co’s percentage demands.
“This instance reinforced my understanding that Zaldy Co had been selling projects and demanding commission within the Speaker Romualdez’s knowledge and political authority,” he said.
The defense referred to Tiangco’s statements as ‘double hearsay.’
The Navotas representative said that Romualdez assured Marcos Jr. that “whatever he wanted” would be restored in the bicameral conference process for the budget bill.
“I understood Romualdez to be speaking for the House leadership and representing that he could secure the restoration of funding for the projects identified by the President during the bicameral conference process,” Tiangco said.
He also said that on Jan. 13, 2025, Marcos Jr. instructed his son, Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos to move for Co’s removal as chair of the House Committee on Appropriations.
“So that it would be clear that it was the president who wanted the removal of Zaldy Co. President Marcos, Jr. wanted to show the public that he would not shield anyone and that no one is above the law, Tiangco said.
Co was removed as chairperson that same afternoon, he said.