IN a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco presented evidence suggesting that P13.8 billion in “insertions,” all tied to flood control projects, were allegedly made by then-House appropriations committee chair Zaldy Co in the 2025 national budget.
This revelation, previously barred from being shown at a House hearing on the same issue, adds another layer to the ongoing investigation into anomalous flood control projects.
Tiangco presented the contents of a flash drive to the Senate panel, with Committee chair Sen. Rodante Marcoleta questioning whether Tiangco’s investigation pointed to Co as the sole proponent of these insertions.
Tiangco clarified that his disclosure was based on his own inquiries, noting that some congressmen denied requesting the funds, leading him to question why the allocations were not in their districts. “Normally, if I requested it, I should be the proponent and it should also be in my congressional district. If those don’t match, then you would wonder why,” he explained.
Tiangco also referenced the existence of “parking” and “sagasa” funds, describing “parking” as a situation where a congressman asks a district to temporarily hold funds, and “sagasa” as the allocation of funds to a district regardless of their consent. This testimony raises further questions about the transparency and accountability of the budget allocation process, particularly in relation to flood control projects.
