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MANILA, Philippines — Critics of the former administration have characterized the recent allegations involving 18 former Marines as a calculated distraction, with former senators Leila de Lima and Antonio Trillanes IV pointing to the camp of former president Rodrigo Duterte as the architect of the controversy.
Five people, including the former soldiers, pushed back by filing complaints before the Department of Justice.
The former soldiers alleged that the complainants were involved in meeting with officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which they claim is “prohibited,” and allegedly received money from fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co.
The benefit. De Lima, who was recently implicated by Baligod’s group despite not being in office during the alleged timeframe, dismissed the claims as a demolition job.
“They are besmirching my name, smearing my reputation. Kaya dahil nga dito sa mga kasinungalingan na ito. Sana tigilan na nila. No more, please. No more,” she said in an interview with reporters on March 9.
“Stop your lies against me. Hindi pa ba kayo nagsawa sa kakapanira sa akin?” she added.
(Stop your lies against me. Haven't you had enough of destroying my reputation?)
Trillanes said the Dutertes are the ones most benefiting from this narrative.
“They stand to benefit most dito sa pangyaring ito. Tapos marami nang nakalap na...na ebidensya…na nagtuturo sa grupo nila,” he said.
(They stand to benefit most from what happened. Also, a lot of evidence has already been gathered... evidence that points to their group.)
Besmirching ICC’s credibility. Trillanes and De Lima also alleged that the move aims to besmirch the reputation of the ICC, where Duterte is being held for crimes against humanity and murder.
For Trillanes, the timing of the release of the 18 ex-Marines' affidavits was "very malicious," as it coincided with the confirmation of charges hearing at the ICC.
"So itong ginawa nila ay paninira lang, hindi lang sa akin...Kundi dun din sa mga investigador ng ICC to cast doubt sa integrity ng ICC investigations. Ang hinala ko ay ito ay gagamitin ni Kaufman (Nicholas Kaufman) para ma-sabotahe dun sa trial, dun sa kaso sa The Hague,” Trillanes said.
(What they have done is a smear campaign, not just against me, but also against the ICC investigators—to cast doubt on the integrity of the ICC investigations. My suspicion is that this will be used by Kaufman to sabotage the trial and the case in The Hague.)
It can be recalled that supporters of Duterte have continuously framed his arrest in March 2025 as “kidnapping,” claiming that the former president was arrested unlawfully and was not given due process.
One such case occurred when Duterte’s son, Davao City Acting Mayor Sebastian Duterte, filed kidnapping complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman in September 2025.
RELATED: Baste Duterte files charges vs Cabinet officials over dad's arrest
Individuals supporting Duterte have also continuously argued that the international tribunal has no jurisdiction over the country, an argument also raised by the former soldiers in the affidavit they submitted to the Ombudsman on February 26.
Danger to witnesses. Trillanes and Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Fr. Flavie Villanueva pointed out that the affidavits released by the 18 former Marines place the lives of witnesses and ICC investigators in danger.
According to Trillanes, "outing" or revealing the identities of those involved in the investigation is a clear form of "deliberate intimidation."
"Tapos yung pag-out nila nung mga identities at names ng mga ICC investigators at ng mga witnesses. Dahil doon, inilagay nila sa peligro yung mga taong ito... Bakit nila ngayon nilalagay sa peligro? Anong tumanggap naman sila ng sweldo nung mga panahon na iyon para gawin yon?"
(Then there is the matter of them 'outing' the identities and names of the ICC investigators and witnesses. Because of that, they have placed these individuals in peril. Why are they putting them at risk now? They actually received salaries during that time specifically to perform that duty [of protecting them].)
For Villanueva, an advocate for victims of extrajudicial killings, the testimonies of these 18 individuals are not just lies but a form of "harassment" against the families of victims who are only seeking justice.
"Ito ay naniniwala ko isang pananakot, paninira sa integridad ng ICC. Sinagawa nila ito, itinaon nila ito sa imbestigasyon," Villanueva said.
(I believe this is a form of intimidation—an attack on the integrity of the ICC. They carried this out and timed it specifically to coincide with the investigation.)
He noted that fake affidavits are being used to undermine the testimonies of real victims and to scare off lawyers and individuals who care about truth and justice.
Villanueva is one of the five individuals who filed a complaint concerning the testimonies of the 18 former soldiers.
Aside from De Lima, Trillanes, and Villanueva, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año filed complaints for unlawful utterances, perjury, and cyberlibel against Baligod and the former soldiers.
Bureau of Corrections chief Gregorio Catapang Jr. also filed cyberlibel complaints against them.
