In Photo: The 16 brave Marines and two Army men
*Marcos, Romualdez, congressmen named
- Recipients in denial mode will file charges
Sixteen Retired Marine soldiers, an former enlisted personnel of the Philippine Army and an Army reservist exposed a multi-billion-peso cash deliveries to politicians and implicated Pres. BongBong Marcos, former Speaker Martin Romualdez and Zaldy Co as the masterminds behind the massive corruption.
Lawyer Levito Baligod made the the disclosure in a press conference at Club Filipino Tuesday last week together with 18 former Marines whom he said were former comrades of Master Sgt. Orly Guteza a surprise witness in the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that investigated the massive corruption in the Marcos administration involving multi-billion-peso kickbacks from ghost, overpriced and substandard flood control projects. Guteza was later threatened with a court charges and went into hiding.
During the press conference, Baligod bared that he is in possession of sworn affidavits from the Marines detailing various deliveries of ₱805 – billions cash contained in suitcases to various politicians.
Baligod alleged that there were instances where even before certain flood control contracts were under negotiation and awarded, the Marines were already “remitting” money in advance from the Valle Verde residence of former House Representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co.
The retired Marines and former Army enlisted men were employed by Rep. Zaldy Co primarily as security aides for him and members of his family.
It can be recalled that Congressman Co, who was Chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, personally made the disclosures alleging that billions of cash were delivered to residences of President Marcos and Speaker Romualdez. He made the statement while in an undisclosed place abroad after realizing that he was made the poster boy of the scandalous corruption and was directed by Romualdez not to come back to the Philippines.
Included in the disclosure is another startling information as claimed by Baligod that days before ICC the Investigators arrived in the country to conduct a probe into the charges of crimes against humanity attributed to former President Rodrigo Duterte, in December 2023, the Marines were instructed to deliver P56 million for “foreigners” which later turned out to be ICC officers tasked to conduct interviews of witnesses relating to the case filed against Duterte.
This disclosure confirmed what former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV has bragged that ICC investigators were in the Philippines to meet with witnesses.
The former Marines claimed they delivered two suitcases containing $1million each to Trillanes supposedly for the ICC to investigators. The former Senator vehemently denied Baligod’s claims and announced that he will take legal action against him and the ex-Marines involved. He also announced plans to file cyberlibel cases against Atty. Levi Baligod, former Congressman Mike Defensor, broadcaster Jay Sonza, 18 ex-soldiers, and others “maliciously circulating” the claim in social media warning “I will not be distracted. Hahabulin ko kayo.”
Baligod claimed that the ICC investigators only talked to witnesses identified by Trillanes and that interviews were done in private places. He said food and hotel accommodations were paid by political adversaries of Duterte. He said that the ICC investigators themselves committed graft and corruption. They were wined and dined by Duterte’s nemeses.
The retired Marines include Belnard E. Tube, Rosebert M. Waupan, Benny S.Bulontate, Johnny A. Buduan, Rodante P. Orbillo, Reyneboy O.
Julian, Christopher T. Esquivel, George O. Villalon, Jr., Romeo Rommel O. Bobares, Gil N. Navidad, Jr., Anselmo Taberdo, Joely G.Cadiao, Rommel C. Galapon, Cecilio S. Larroder, Jr., Bernard A.
Gumban, Crisanie L. Dado, Fidel M. Corpuz, and, Walter M. Manalansan. In their sworn statement they said that they were enlisted personnel ng Philippine Marines Corps, except for Rommel C. Galapon who was an enlisted personnel of Philippine Army, and, Reyneboy O.Julian who is a Reservist at Philippine Army.
In their statement, the group claimed that they delivered cash contained in suitcases to the following:
- Abante, Benny
*Adiong, Zia
*Alvarez, Jose,
*Ang, Jojo
*Baronda Julienne
*Barbers, Ace
*Bernos, Ching
*Brosas, Arlene
*Castro, Frans
*Chua, Joel
*Dalipe, Mannix
*De Lima, Leila
*Fernandez, Dan
*Garin, Janet
*Gonzales, Dong
*Khonghun, Jay
*Luistro, Gerville
*Manuel, Raoul
*Marcos, Sandro
*Ortega, Paolo
*Paduano, Joseph
*Quimbo, Stella
*Romualdez, Martin
*Suarez, Jayjay
*Tulfo, Erwin
Baligod later backtracked in including the name of De Lima who were among those in the lists that received a suitcase of money. He moreover said that what de Lima received was a paper bag of money. The former Chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights vehemently denied receiving any money from kickbacks.
Mentioned among the high profile personalities who received money in pieces of luggage were Majority Floor Leader Sandro Marcos, Senate President Tito Sotto and Sen. Erwin Tulfo who dismissed the allegations as fabricated and part of a demolition job.
Aside from Sotto, incumbent senators Francis Escudero, Loren Legarda, and Mark Villar, as well as former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. were also mentioned.
Most of those in the list has issued a denial asserting that they have not received any money as alleged by the Marines and the legal counsel Baligod.
Malacanang has not issued any formal statement except to say that the exposé of 18 former personnel of the Philippine Marines could be politically motivated and meant to divert the public’s attention from the ongoing proceedings in the International Criminal Court (ICC).
