House panel summons Poe, Co over flood control project insertions

The House Infrastructure Committee has invited Senator Grace Poe and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co to a hearing investigating flood control projects.

The invitations were made after allegations of insertions in the national budget for flood control projects surfaced.

Rep. Zaldy Co was specifically invited after a flood control project in Plaridel, Bulacan was identified as a congressional insertion in the 2025 national budget.

Rep. Co, who chaired the House Committee on Appropriations, allegedly proposed P13.8 billion in insertions for flood control and other infrastructure in the 2025 budget.

Senator Grace Poe, who led the Senate Committee on Finance, was also invited, although House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno apologized to her for initially linking her to the final draft of the 2025 spending plan, as she was not allowed to participate in bicameral conference committee deliberations.

Rep. Co, currently in the United States for medical treatment, has denied the allegations.

The House committee seeks to understand the P1 trillion worth of insertions in the national budget for 2023, 2024, and 2025, and determine accountability for any changes made to budget bills.

An assistant engineer from Bulacan had previously claimed that some senators are involved in alleged anomalous flood control projects.