FACT CHECK: Tulfo punches holes in 5 claims by Zaldy Co’s 18 alleged ex-bodyguards

MANILA, Philippines – Senate blue ribbon committee chairperson Erwin Tulfo pointed to several inconsistencies and flaws in the testimony of 18 alleged former security aides of former Ako Bicol representative Zaldy Co, who has been linked to the flood control corruption scandal.

During a supposed hearing last Thursday, June 4, organized by the bloc of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, the 18 individuals claimed they had delivered alleged kickbacks to members of the Marcos family and other personalities critical of the Duterte family.

“It seems some of the information from these 18 porters or kargador are fed. They have a hard time telling their story on their own,” Tulfo said in blue ribbon committee probe on Monday, June 8.

Tulfo invited the 18 individuals—who had also accused him of being part of the alleged kickback scheme—to attend the hearing, but they did not appear. Instead, they held a press conference in Senator Robin Padilla’s office while the hearing was ongoing.

Here are some of the claims of Co’s 18 alleged former security aides and Tulfo’s rebuttals. Co is currently at large abroad.

1. Delivering money for Father Flavie Villanueva in a Church along Mindanao Avenue

Claim: Co’s alleged security aide claimed he delivered money in an envelope to Father Flavie Villanueva of the Society of the Divine Word in a church where he serves along Mindanao Avenue. He also claimed to have delivered a suitcase containing cash to the address “33 Clamente,” which he allegedly placed in Villanueva’s car.

Villanueva has long been assisting families of victims of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.

The facts: There’s no church run by the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) along Mindanao Avenue, Cubao Bishop Elias Ayuban Jr. earlier said in a statement.

“Indeed, there is no church entrusted to the Society of the Divine Word on Mindanao Avenue or anywhere in its vicinity,” he said.

“Within the Diocese of Cubao, the SVDs are present only in the Sacred Heart Parish-Shrine in Kamuning, the Sto. Niño de Violago Quasi-Parish and the Divine Word Shrine along E. Rodriguez Avenue,” the prelate added.

The Arnold Janssen Kalinga Foundation, which was founded by Villanueva, also denied the allegations.

“We categorically deny these allegations. They are false. The witness publicly attributed to Fr. Villanueva acts and transactions that never occurred. The allegation involving a supposed delivery near a church on Mindanao Avenue collapses on its own facts. No specific church was identified, and no SVD parish, church, or ministry center exists along Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City that matches the witness’s description,” the foundation said in a statement on Thursday, June 4.

2. iPhone 16e ‘time travel’

Claim: Co’s alleged security aide claimed that he and other bodyguards were offered a new iPhone 16e 128GB unit in exchange for surrendering his phone during the flood control corruption controversy in 2024, around the time alleged aide Orly Guteza appeared before the blue ribbon committee.

Co’s alleged security aide said this is to prevent them from speaking, as their phones supposedly contain photos showing pieces of evidence of supposed deliveries of kickbacks.

The fact: The iPhone 16e only became available for pre-order on February 21, 2025, with availability beginning on February 28, 2025. Guteza also appeared at the blue ribbon committee hearing in September 2025, not 2024.

3. Inconsistency in statements

Claim: Co’s alleged security aides in their initial testimony claimed that senators Loren Legarda and Mark Villar were also among those who received kickbacks.

Confronted by this flaw in the testimony, the aides’ legal counsel Levito Baligod, in a press conference on Monday, said that the alleged security aides clarified that Legarda did not receive kickbacks. They, however, maintained the money was delivered to Villar.

Legarda was still with the bloc of then-Senate president Tito Sotto when the initial accusation of the aides were made. She is now with the bloc of Duterte ally, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.

The fact: Tulfo pointed out that Co’s alleged security aides did not mention Legarda and Villar’s names during the supposed blue ribbon committee hearing on Thursday, June 4.

4. Makati money changer nowhere to be found

Claim: Co’s alleged security aide claimed they exchanged cash worth P50 million to P60 million, carried in two suitcases, into US dollars at a money changer in Pearl Bank Center Building in Salcedo Village, Makati City.

The fact: There’s no money changer in Pearl Bank Center Building in Salcedo Village, Makati City, Tulfo said.

5. Delivering money to a detainee?

Claim: Co’s alleged security aide claimed they delivered money to Mamayang Liberal Representative Leila de Lima.

“Si Leila de Lima, lagi po ‘yan sa townhouse. Ka-meeting po sila, Boss (Zaldy Co). Tapos pagkatapos po niyan may dala-dala na rin po,” one of Co’s alleged security aides said.

(Leila de Lima was always at the townhouse. They would have meetings there, Boss. Then after that, they would also be carrying something with them.)

The fact: De Lima was detained for seven years and was only freed in November 2023. De Lima only became a congresswoman in mid-2025 after years of being out of public office.

Also confronted by this flaw in the testimony, Baligod explained that the alleged security aides referred to De Lima as congresswoman since the affidavit was made in 2026, when she was already in the House of Representatives.

When asked by the media when the alleged security aides delivered money to De Lima, Baligod just vaguely said that it was done when the lawmaker was released from jail.

De Lima has denied receiving any money, calling the statement “blatant lies.”

“Whether sa maleta, sa paper bag o anuman yan, wala akong tinatanggap na pera. Hindi na rin nakapagtataka na nagkakabuhol-buhol ang kwento at paratang sa akin dahil imbento lang ang mga pinagsasabi nila—kasinungalingan na inulit lang sa isang kwestyonableng hearing sa Senado,” she said last Thursday, June 4.

(Whether in a luggage, paper bag or whatever, I deny receiving any money. It’s not surprising that their story and allegation against me has become very twisted because they just made it up—lies that were repeated in a questionable Senate hearing.)

In March 2026, De Lima, Father Villanueva, and former senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV filed a criminal complaint before the Department of Justice against the 18 alleged former security aides of Co over bribery allegation. – Rappler.com