By Ferdinand Patinio | Philippine News Agency
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Saturday cautioned the public that recent developments regarding the flood control mess may be used by those who want to “trigger political outcomes.”
“We likewise caution against the political exploitation of these allegations, especially when released at sensitive moments that may inflame public sentiment or be used to influence political outcomes,” CВСР President Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David said in a statement.
“The Filipino people deserve clarity, not conjecture; truth, not rumor; accountability, not manipulation. We appeal to all parties involved to act with honesty, courage, and responsibility.”
He said the recent pronouncements of former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co should first be validated, asking him to return to the country to substantiate his claims and file appropriate charges.
“In light of the serious allegations recently made public by Rep. Zaldy Co, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines calls for truth, justice, and due process to prevail. If his accusations are indeed credible and substantial, we urge him to return to the country and file his charges before the proper authorities, under oath, and supported by verifiable evidence,” David said.
“Public declarations on social media, however alarming, cannot take the place of formal testimony in the appropriate legal venues. For the good of the nation, such claims must be examined transparently, impartially, and in accordance with the rule of law.”
Meanwhile, a civic-oriented group echoed the CBCP statement.
In a separate statement, the Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD) urged Co to testify under oath instead of airing his accusations on social media.
“If the intention is to tell the truth, the strongest place to do that is under oath, not overseas. Our institutions exist precisely so that claims can be examined fairly and transparently,” ABKD Chairperson Emeritus Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia said.
“Statements made abroad, without the opportunity for cross-examination, naturally leave more questions than answers, especially when full legal processes are available in the Philippines.”
Counter-argument
Goitia also pointed to a public record that contradicts Co’s claims, as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. vetoed P194 billion worth of items in the 2025 national budget.
“A leader who vetoes nearly P200 billion in budget items is clearly not someone trying to protect questionable insertions,” he said.
“The record shows a President removing items that raised concerns, not adding to them.”
On the other hand, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon said he believes that the President had nothing to do with the corruption in the anomalous flood control projects.
He noted that the Chief Executive was the one who initiated the investigation into the controversy and took concrete actions, including the formation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and other reforms in the DPWH.
“That is not consistent with what Zaldy Co is saying, that the President is involved in this,” Dizon said in an interview Friday.
“If you were involved, why would you do all this? Why would you form an independent commission? Why would you say that everyone who should be held accountable should be held accountable? And why would you say that before Christmas someone will definitely be in jail?”
For Senator Panfilo Lacson, chairperson of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Co’s video statement has no probative value because it was not made under oath.
He noted that it makes no sense for the President to insert projects during the bicameral conference committee when he could have done it in the National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Lacson further pointed out that it was Marcos himself who vetoed P26 billion worth of projects under the DPWH.
“Ba’t sa bicam pa siya magpapa-insert? Hindi naman siya part ng bicam. Assuming na totoong nagpa-insert sa bicam, ba’t niya i-veto?” he added. (PNA)
