Former congressman Zaldy Co has implicated First Lady Liza Marcos in alleged anomalies involving rice and onion importation.
In a video posted on his social media, Co claimed that Marcos tried to stop a 2022 House inquiry into soaring onion prices on behalf of her brother, Martin Araneta, whom he accused of controlling onion imports.
“Kung matatandaan ninyo, noong 2022, nagkaroon po ng imbestigasyon sa Kamara na pinangungunahan ni Congressman Toto Suansing, dahil sobrang taas ng presyo ng sibuyas. Umabot ng P600 kada kilo, gayong dapat ay nasa P80 lang,” Co said.
“Doon lumabas ang pangalan ni Martin Araneta bilang isa sa mga nasa likod ng kontrol sa importasyon ng sibuyas. Pero hindi po natuloy ang imbestigasyon. Ang sabi ni Speaker, tinawagan daw siya ni First Lady Liza Marcos at ipinapatigil ang imbestigasyon. Kaya walang natuloy at walang naparusahan. Dahil pala, kontrolado ng kapatid ng First Lady ang importasyon ng sibuyas,” he added.
Co also accused House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel of attempting to halt the House Quinto Committee probe into rice prices in consideration of the First Lady.
“Habang iniimbestigahan ito ng Quinta Committee na pinamumunuan ni Congressman Joey Salceda, bigla na lang itong ipinahinto ni Secretary Kiko Laurel Tiu, matapos niyang ipakita ang isang confidential report. Nakasaad dito na si First Lady Liza Marcos mismo ang may hawak sa mga rice importers. Ayon kay Secretary Laurel, maaapektuhan daw ang First Lady kung itutuloy ang imbestigasyon, dahil kasama raw nila sa Vietnam visit ang ilang importer ng bigas, at nag-dinner pa raw sila roon,” Co said.
He added that this partly explained why rice prices remained high despite the reduction of import taxes from 35% to 15%.
Co further alleged that fish importation is controlled by a few companies, keeping prices, including that of galunggong, elevated.
During a budget hearing last September, Tiu-Laurel said Co had pressured him to allocate fish imports to certain companies, but he refused.
Additionally, Co claimed that “SOP collections” from the Bureau of Customs and sugar companies were used to fund the administration’s campaign in the 2025 midterm elections, totaling billions of pesos and controlled by a few companies.
The Palace has yet to issue a response to Co’s allegations.
