The Philippine political landscape is reeling from a massive scandal after an attorney representing a former high-ranking official publicly confronted a prominent Senator regarding serious corruption allegations and past political conduct.

Attorney Roy Rondain, counsel for former Congressman Zaldy Co, appeared in a captivating interview to address his client’s recent three-part video revelation that has sent shockwaves through the highest levels of government.

The controversy centers on alleged financial misconduct involving billions of pesos and the powerful figures Co claims were involved.

At the heart of the matter is an enormous, disputed budget insertion, which Co alleges was mandated from the top. His legal counsel explained that Co, who served as the Appropriations Committee chairman, was following direct instructions when he allegedly inserted P100 billion into the national budget.

The lawyer argued that his client is being unfairly positioned as the sole culpable party, or “the fall guy,” in the controversy. According to Co’s estimate, 25 percent of that inserted amount—a massive sum—was intended for key political figures, including the President and the former Speaker of the House, asserting that money was delivered to high-end locations like North and South Forbes.

While the attorney distanced his client from actually making those deliveries, he implied that the mechanism was in place, a point that has fueled intense public speculation.

Further complicating the narrative is the attorney’s staunch defense of his client’s character amidst the legal storm. Atty. Rondain maintained that Co’s actions were driven by a lack of strength to resist the high-level instructions he received, rather than criminal intent.

He also revealed that his client has deeply held concerns for his well-being and personal safety, referencing a chilling statement Co made in his video about hoping he could complete his testimony before something terrible happened to him.

The lawyer confirmed that while Co is willing to submit his full revelations under oath—a requirement that would give the testimony legal weight—he is currently abroad and will only return if the government can provide an ironclad, credible guarantee of his safety, fearing his detention could put him at great risk of harm.

This high-stakes legal drama also re-surfaced historical political confrontations. The video brought to light a 2013 interview featuring the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, who once openly challenged the integrity of Senator Ping Lacson.

In that footage, Senator Santiago labeled Lacson a “character assassin” and questioned his fitness to serve as an independent investigator during a past pork barrel scandal, suggesting that he was acting to shield his political allies.

The channel host highlighted this historical context, arguing that Lacson’s recent strong defense of the current administration’s leaders, particularly President Marcos Jr., follows a recognizable pattern of political alignment rather than genuine fiscal concern.

The timing of Co’s shocking revelations has also drawn sharp criticism, as the videos were released just before a major religious rally and on the very day that Senator Lacson’s committee was conducting a hearing on the issue. This led to accusations that the video was a political maneuver designed to cause maximum disruption.

Nevertheless, the attorney confirmed that his client holds compelling evidence, including documentation and photos of the money transfers—with images showing suitcases and luxury vehicles—that he is prepared to disclose in due course.

Despite the immense public skepticism regarding Co’s claim of not personally benefiting from the P100 billion insertion, Attorney Rondain insists that the people must await the judicial process and a court judgment before drawing final conclusions, emphasizing that the complete story is yet to be fully told.