DA chief refutes claims of agricultural anomalies vs First Lady

MANILA, Philippines —  Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is preparing to file a possible cyberlibel complaint against former House appropriations chair Zaldy Co, whom he accused of spreading “fabricated lies” about alleged irregularities in the Department of Agriculture (DA).

During a press conference yesterday, Tiu Laurel acknowledged that legal action is now being considered.

“I didn’t think about it. But earlier, one of my DAs (staff asked to file a case). So, I told him to prepare a case whether to file it or not. Of course, I want to file it now. But we have to think about it,” he said, adding that the complaint being studied is for “cyberlibel.”

The move comes after Co leveled corruption allegations that Tiu Laurel dismissed as false and intended to distract the public from Co’s ongoing legal troubles related to a controversial flood-control project.

Tiu Laurel also addressed Co’s claims across several agricultural sectors.

On sugar, he recalled Co’s March 2024 request for a 200,000-metric ton import allocation, which he deemed excessive. The DA later issued Sugar Order No. 2, creating a fairer allocation system; the total sugar import quota for 2024 was 280,000 MT.

On onions, he attributed the 2023 price surge to supply shortages identified by the Bureau of Plant Industry in October 2022, dismissing claims of hoarding or smuggling. He also denied rumors linking presidential brother-in-law Martin Araneta to onion imports.

He dismissed as “absurd” claims that he halted a quinta committee hearing with a report implicating First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos in rice importation. Rep. Mark Enverga, co-chair of the committee, called Co’s narrative “illogical and absurd.”

Tiu Laurel rejected allegations that he recommended importing 13 million MT of rice in 2024, saying such a volume would have overwhelmed the country’s national production of 20 million MT. He added that Co had actually pushed for a zero-percent rice import tariff—a proposal rejected by both the DA and the Department of Finance.

On fish imports, Tiu Laurel said Co personally requested allocations for 3,000 containers for his nominated companies, which he denied under the DA’s new transparent system. “After refusing him twice, I felt his resentment. He began undermining me,” he said.

Tiu Laurel called Co’s allegations “the newest episode in the former congressman’s self-made Netflix series,” accusing him of a pattern of dramatic and misleading claims.

“He pretends to care for farmers and consumers, but his greed is clear. Zaldy Co, come home and face your cases. That is what the Filipino people demand,” Tiu Laurel said.

FL not dwelling on ‘theatrics’

A day after she and her family were tagged in the alleged manipulation of onion and rice prices, the First Lady vowed to focus on her duties as a law professor rather than dwell on what she described as “theatrics.”

Liza Marcos uploaded photos of herself with her students in Iloilo, whom she praised for attending class despite the various disasters that hit the city.

“While some may choose theatrics, I’d rather focus on teaching future lawyers how the law truly works – where truth is the standard and proof is the language we live by,” she said in a Facebook post yesterday.

“I’m incredibly proud of my students. Despite the storms, earthquakes and bogus bomb threats that plagued Iloilo City this semester, when they showed up for class, they were prepared, curious and ready to dissect the latest jurisprudence,” she added. The First Lady ended her post by wishing her students luck on their finals exams.

In a video statement released last Wednesday, Co linked Liza and her family to the manipulation of onion and rice prices, which soared to new highs in recent years.

According to Co, Liza’s brother Martin was involved in the importation of onions that were sold by as much as P800 per kilo three years ago. Co said the Araneta name had surfaced during an investigation at the House of Representatives in 2022. He claimed that then House speaker Martin Romualdez told lawmakers that Liza had called him to stop the House investigation.

“Agriculture Secretary Kiko Tiu-Laurel stopped the investigation when he revealed a confidential report. In it, First Lady Liza Marcos herself was shown to have hold over rice importers,” Co said.

In an earlier video statement, Co said President Marcos had ordered him to insert P100 billion worth of projects in the 2025 national budget during the bicameral conference committee.

Malacañang has denied the allegations, dismissing the resigned lawmaker’s statements as hearsay.

Meanwhile, Co’s lawyer Ruy Rondain insisted that his client has proof of his claims against President Marcos, as well as his recent exposes on the involvement of the First Family, even the extended family to include the brother of the First Lady.

In a virtual interview with Karen Davila on ABS-CBN News yesterday morning, Rondain said that he had even seen proof of his client’s claim.

“A testimony of the truth. so, let the chips fall where they may,” Rondain said when asked about the shocking accusations made by Co in his two recent videos posted on his official Facebook account.

“I didn’t memorize each and every one. but the general effect, the overall effect on me, this one (claim) is proven, this is proven,” Rondain said.

He said that Co has more explosive exposes coming out soon. His release of the videos, he said, were like declarations of a dead man. “He has photographic evidence; he has documentary evidence. He’s got receipts. And he’s got testimonial evidence,” Rondain elaborated.

“Of course, people are saying, and they’re correct, that his evidence, his statements are not admissible in a court of law at this time. But once he goes under oath, then it would be admissible,” he said.

“He’s not trying to initiate a judicial proceeding. He just wants to... Remember what he said in the first video: he hopes not to die before saying everything... So the closest analogy I can give you, without going into the details is – it’s a dead man’s declaration,” the lawyer said.

The videos, Rondain said, were “declarations of someone who fears impending death and hopefully it’s admissible later just in case something happens.”

Bicam insertion

Former Kabataan party-list representative Raoul Manuel said yesterday that there were bicam insertions in the district of House majority leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos.

“First family interference?” Manuel asked in Facebook post.

Manuel parsed through government documents to pinpoint insertions benefitting the district of Congressman Marcos, in light of Co’s claims of kickbacks tracing back to the Marcos dynasty.

He provides a comparison of documents in his full Facebook post.

“Remember, because of the presidential certification that the budget is urgent, the House of Representatives approved the NEP without amendments. That is why the amendment of the 2024 budget, like the entry of new projects and increase and decrease of budget allocation passed through the small group and in bicam only. Those amendments and insertions were officially included in the national budget through the approval of the bicam,” Manuel said.

“These are just a few that was confirmed as budget insertions for the district of the presidential son. But the point is, there is an existing insertion for that district,” he said.

“How could he have been allowed to do this, given that he was not part of the ‘small group’ nor the bicam? Will the sitting president investigate this matter concerning his son?”

Manuel said that this contributes further basis to probe the potential involvement of the top ruling dynasties, especially the Marcoses in the unraveling corruption scandal.

–  Alexis Romero, Rainier Allan Ronda, Jose Rodel Clapano