Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Thursday disclosed that former Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Zaldy Co had inserted around ₱1.5 billion into the 2024 Department of Agriculture (DA) budget—an allocation he said he discovered only after taking office.
Tiu Laurel said the amount was lodged under the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) before being withdrawn.
Recalling his exchange with Co, he said: “Sabi niya, ‘May secretary na, kaya ililipat ko na iyong pera sa ibang lugar.’ … Na-insert niya na iyon, hinugot lang. Siguro mga ₱1.5 billion iyon at that time… under the PCA.”
The DA chief said his conversation with Co prompted him to trace where the funding was moved, noting that he entered the department in November 2023 when the national budget was nearly finalized, making the circumstances difficult to track.
He made the disclosure while denying Co’s accusations linking him to questionable importation of sugar, onions and rice, calling the allegations “fabricated lies.”
Tiu Laurel said Co had actually asked him for an allocation of 200,000 metric tons of refined sugar in March 2024—a request he rejected under the DA’s revised import system—which he said could have earned Co around ₱2 billion.
He added that Co later pushed for zero tariff on rice imports, a proposal opposed by the DA and then-Finance Secretary Ralph Recto.
Tiu Laurel also refuted Co’s claims dragging Martin Araneta into smuggling issues: “Hindi rin totoo na involved si Martin Araneta sa onion importation or any smuggling or importation issue… kahit isang beses, walang binigay o walang request sa akin si Martin Araneta for importation of onions.”
He denied allegations that he halted the DA’s Quinta Committee probe to protect the First Lady: “The First Lady has never meddled in any DA matters.”
The Secretary said he has a text message from Co that could disprove the claims but cannot release it without consent due to the Data Privacy Act. He is also considering filing a cyberlibel complaint.