Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping” Lacson's exposé indicated that Zaldy Co's Facebook video-based claim of delivering kickbacks to President Marcos and Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez was nothing but a lie.

Thus, said Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, who pointed out that the sworn affidavit of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo--as disclosed by Lacson--directly contradicted the former Ako Bicol Party-list congressman's story.

“Not the President, not former Speaker Romualdez — both were falsely dragged into allegations that the evidence does not support,” Adiong, a "Young Guns" bloc member and assistant majority leader, said in a statement Wednesday, Nov. 19.

Lacson revealed during the Senate budget deliberations Tuesday that Bernardo personally handled P52 billion in kickbacks from the alleged P81 billion of the P100-billion budget insertions that went to the DPWH.

Bernardo’s sworn account contradicts Co’s dramatic assertion on social media that he delivered luggages of cash to Marcos and Romualdez.

Lacson, referring to information provided by Bernardo, said that the remaining P19 billion went to former Department of Public Works secretary Manuel Bonoan, who managed the funds.

“The names do not match the accusations made by Co," Adiong said. Given these developments, the direction of the investigation should now be clear, he noted.

“The Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) should focus its probe on two former undersecretaries, who were specifically implicated. It is only right that the inquiry follows the evidence—not fabricated narratives,” the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) spokesperson said.

Adiong underscored that no evidence has ever surfaced linking the President or former Speaker Romualdez to the alleged massive budget insertion.

“Walang dokumento. Walang sworn statement. Walang ebidensyang nagsasabing may pera silang natanggap (No document. No sworn statement. No evidence saying that they received money). The only testimony on record points to a different set of individuals altogether.”

The ranking solon from Mindanao reiterated that public institutions cannot afford investigations built on political narratives that collapse under the weight of real evidence.

“This entire episode proves why we must rely on sworn testimony and verifiable documents. Unproven accusations only mislead the public and unjustly damage reputations," he said.

“Senator Lacson’s expose puts the facts on the table. Let us act on those facts—nothing more, nothing less," he further said.