MANILA, Philippines – Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco has filed an ethics complaint against Ako Bicol Partylist Elizaldy Co for his alleged violations of the Constitution, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, and the rules of the House of Representatives.
In a letter to House Ethics Committee chairman and 4Ps partylist Rep. JC Abalos, which was received this Monday by the secretariat, Tiangco alleges Co violated Article XI, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution, or the accountability of public officers, by “masterminding, tolerating, and deliberately allowing last minute insertions and realignments” in the 2025 budget.
“Consequently, the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) has been considered as the most scandalous, corrupt, and highly irregular budget. Billions of pesos were inserted by the small committee up to the bicameral committee,” Tiangco said.
He also said that the insertions had bypassed priority projects and cast serious doubts on the legitimacy of purpose.
Co, according to Tiangco, was “duty bound” to ensure faithful compliance with constitutional and legal parameters in the budgetary process, and that his primary responsibility was to protect people’s money and ensure that public funds were allocated for legitimate purposes.
“With all the lingering issues on the 2025 budget insertions, Representative Co undoubtedly bctraycd public’s trust and ruined the reputation of the institution he ought to protect,” Tiangco said.
Under violation of Republic Act 6713, Tiangco said that Co has been absent in the House of Representatives due to medical reasons but no copy of his medical certificates were submitted to House and the public, thereby making his absence unsubstantiated.
Meanwhile, under the violation of Section 141, Rule XX of the House Rules, Tiangco said that Co-owned Sunwest Inc. and its joint ventures secured a total of P86.1 billion worth of government infrastructure contracts, half of which were awarded in Bicol where Co’s family maintained deep political and business roots.
