Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco dropped a bombshell on his recent podcast with PGMN Anchor Atty. Rowena Guanzon, exposing a congressional kickback scheme involving former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, who demanded a 20% cut from budget allocations—a scheme Tiangco said he witnessed firsthand and one that former Speaker Martin Romualdez clearly knew about.
Watch the full episode here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1364449982436676
Tiangco said he personally told Romualdez that Co had asked for a 20% cut tied to an additional ₱200‑million Navotas project. Because Tiangco’s wife is Romualdez’s cousin, Co allegedly lowered the demand to 10%.
Tiangco explained the project was meant to be completed in 2024 instead of waiting for the next budget cycle. He said he avoided dealing directly with Co and instead approached Romualdez.
According to Tiangco, that intermediary later returned with a message that Co would allegedly lower the amount because of their relationship.
Tiangco said he later raised the matter directly with Romualdez. He recalled expecting the former Speaker to confront Co over the alleged demand. Instead, Tiangco said Romualdez told him, “dapat dumeretso ka lang sa akin.”
That response, Tiangco said, revealed Romualdez’s complicity. He recalled telling Romualdez he wasn’t asking for special treatment just because they called each other “primo.”
Tiangco said he ultimately did not pursue the additional funding, fearing he would be suspected himself if he explained the arrangement to the Department of Public Works and Highways district engineer. He questioned why Romualdez never called Co out:
“E ‘di ba, dapat pinagalitan niya si Zaldy, na ‘Bakit sinasabi nitong si Toby na humihingi ka ng bente?’” Guanzon replied,
“Ibig sabihin, totoo.”
Tiangco then pointed directly to Romualdez’s response as the reason he believed the former Speaker knew about the arrangement.
“Paano sasabihin na hindi totoo? Doon ko na na-realize na alam niya ito.”
For Tiangco, the encounter became central to his claim that the alleged percentage demand reached beyond Co. His account places Romualdez inside the conversation at the moment the alleged 20% demand was raised, while the claim that Romualdez knew about the arrangement remains Tiangco’s own conclusion from that exchange.
Romualdez is now jailed in a ₱7.4‑billion plunder case tied to flood‑control kickbacks, while Co, his co‑accused, remains in hiding overseas.
