To have any probative value, the claims made by resigned Rep. Elizaldy Co recently on social media will have to be properly authenticated – made under oath or affirmed in the Philippine consulate of the country where he is now staying, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.
Lacson maintained that Co’s claims have no weight as evidence at least for now, because Co was not under oath when he made them and posted them on social media. He added this was why the committee did not play Co’s first video during its hearing Friday.
“Ex-Rep. Zaldy Co needs to have his written affidavit properly authenticated by a consul in the place where he is presently located, then testify under oath before the Blue Ribbon Committee while within the premises of the embassy or consulate in order to make his testimony valid and have probative value. Under such condition, we will resume the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing and hear his testimony,” he said.
“Otherwise, as I have stated earlier, no matter how many Parts or Episodes his narrations are, they will all remain as such – narrations.,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson: Dapat Authenticated ang mga Pahayag ni Co Para Magkaroon ng Halaga
Lacson earlier considered inviting Co to participate in the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing via Zoom, but Sen. Ronald dela Rosa voiced apprehension that Co might turn this into a platform for propaganda and the committee cannot hold him accountable or cite him in contempt of the committee because he is not under oath.
In the meantime, Lacson said he and his staff are reviewing the supposed P100 billion worth of projects that Co claimed were inserted in the bicameral conference committee, allegedly under the instruction of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. through Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin.
He said their initial check showed several items are confirmed to exist.
“We have been reviewing the P100 billion worth of projects that he claimed to have inserted in the bicam allegedly upon the instruction of the President through Sec Pangandaman and Usec Adrian Bersamin to match them with the items under the 2025 GAA. With at least five pages already done so far, several items are confirmed to be existing,” he said.
But Lacson also pointed out that several dates of the supposed deliveries as claimed by Co were done in 2024, thus contradicting his narrations about the insertions in the 2025 budget.
“What I noticed in the video, however is, while he talks of the 2025 GAA, several dates of the supposed deliveries were done in 2024 which obviously contradicts his narration about the insertions in the 2025 GAA,” he said.
On Friday, Lacson noted that Co’s claims that the President wanted to insert P100 billion into the Department of Public Works and Highways’ budget in the bicameral conference committee appear to defy common sense, since the President could have done it at the National Expenditure Program, when the proposed budget is under the control of the executive department.
“Hindi siya part ng bicam. Dapat sa NEP pa lang sinabihan ang DBM at DBCC, maglagay ng P100B sa DPWH. And assuming totoong nagpa-insert sa BCC, bakit vineto (The President is not part of the bicam. He could have had the amount inserted in the NEP. And assuming it is true he ordered the insertion, why did he veto it)?” he added.
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Lacson: Dapat Authenticated ang mga Pahayag ni Co Para Magkaroon ng Halaga
Para magkaroon ng anumang halaga, kailangan munang ipa-authenticate ang mga pahayag ni dating Rep. Elizaldy Co — under oath o affirmed ng konsulado ng Pilipinas sa bansang kinaroroonan niya ngayon, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore at Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Sabado.
Iginiit ni Lacson na walang bigat bilang ebidensya ang mga pahayag ni Co sa ngayon dahil hindi ito ginawa sa ilalim ng panunumpa nang kanyang i-post ito sa social media. Dagdag niya, ito ang dahilan kung bakit hindi ipinakita ng komite ang unang video ni Co sa pagdinig nito noong Biyernes.
“Ex-Rep. Zaldy Co needs to have his written affidavit properly authenticated by a consul in the place where he is presently located, then testify under oath before the Blue Ribbon Committee while within the premises of the embassy or consulate in order to make his testimony valid and have probative value. Under such condition, we will resume the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing and hear his testimony,” aniya.
“Otherwise, as I have stated earlier, no matter how many Parts or Episodes his narrations are, they will all remain as such – narrations.,” dagdag niya.
Una nang kinonsidera ni Lacson ang pag-imbita kay Co upang makilahok sa Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing via Zoom, ngunit nagpahayag ng pangamba si Sen. Ronald dela Rosa na maaaring gawin ito ni Co bilang plataporma ng propaganda at hindi siya maaaring panagutin o i-contempt ng komite dahil hindi siya nasa ilalim ng panunumpa.
Samantala, sinusuri ni Lacson at ng kanyang staff ang umano’y P100 bilyong halaga ng mga proyekto na ayon kay Co ay siningit sa bicameral conference committee, diumano’y sa utos ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sa pamamagitan nina Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman at Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin.
Ani Lacson, may mga nakita silang item sa una nilang pagsusuri.
“We have been reviewing the P100 billion worth of projects that he claimed to have inserted in the bicam allegedly upon the instruction of the President through Sec Pangandaman and Usec Adrian Bersamin to match them with the items under the 2025 GAA. With at least five pages already done so far, several items are confirmed to be existing,” aniya.
Ngunit ipinunto din ni Lacson na ang ilang petsa ng umano’y deliveries na inangkin ni Co ay ginawa noong 2024, at sumasalungat sa kanyang mga pahayag tungkol sa mga insertion sa 2025 budget.
“What I noticed in the video, however is, while he talks of the 2025 GAA, several dates of the supposed deliveries were done in 2024 which obviously contradicts his narration about the insertions in the 2025 GAA,” aniya.
Noong Biyernes, sinabi ni Lacson na ang pahayag ni Co na nais umano ng Pangulo na magpasok ng P100 bilyon sa budget ng Department of Public Works and Highways sa bicameral conference committee ay tila salungat sa common sense, dahil maaari naman itong gawin sa National Expenditure Program, kung saan hawak ng executive department ang panukalang budget.
“Hindi siya (Pangulo) part ng bicam. Dapat sa NEP pa lang sinabihan ang DBM at DBCC, maglagay ng P100B sa DPWH. And assuming totoong nagpa-insert sa BCC, bakit vineto?” dagdag ni Lacson.
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