4 days ago
4
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
February 26, 2026 | 4:32pm
MANILA, Philippines — The lawyer behind an affidavit signed by 18 supposed former Marines and Philippine Army officials admitted he made a mistake in naming Rep. Leila De Lima (ML Party-list) as one of the alleged recipients of cash-filled suitcases.
The affidavit, which was revealed on February 23, claimed that the former Marines and soldiers acted as bagmen for former lawmaker Elizaldy Co, delivering cash-filled suitcases to several lawmakers and government officials.
Aside from De Lima, those mentioned include former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and President Bongbong Marcos. Both have already been linked to corruption allegations involving anomalous flood control projects and alleged budget manipulation.
Lawyer Levi Baligod clarified on Thursday, February 26, that none of the 18 supposed bagmen testified to delivering suitcases to De Lima, and that he had made an "error" in including her on the list of alleged recipients.
He explained that he included her name because the former service members claimed they had seen De Lima at some of the alleged "meetings" between public officials and representatives of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"Pupwede error po 'yun on my part (It can be an error on my part)," he said in an interview on 105.9 True FM.
"I want to make it clear, at this point, na it could be an oversight for me na kasama siya roon sa listahan ng Congress members that created the impression na nabigyan din siya ng male-maletang [kickback]," Baligod added.
Despite this, he did not clear De Lima of bribery allegations. He said his clients claimed to have seen De Lima visit a townhouse and leave with a paper bag containing cash. Baligod added that the alleged bagmen knew the bag held money because they were the ones who had purchased the paper bag.
De Lima dismissed the allegations as a "demolition job," rejecting the "ridiculous claim" that she allegedly received millions of cash from Co, whether in suitcases or a paper bag.
"Whether sa maleta o sa paper bag o anuman 'yan, malinaw na imbento lang 'yan. Nagkakabuhol-buhol na agad 'yung kwento nila dahil sa lantarang kasinungalingan at paninira na naman sa akin! Baligod is playing fast and loose with his license to practice law," she said Thursday.
(Whether it’s in a suitcase, a paper bag, or anything else, it’s clear that this is just made up. Their story immediately became tangled because of the obvious lies and attempts to discredit me! Baligod is playing fast and loose with his license to practice law.)
What remains unclear in their testimonies is whether the former soldiers actually saw the cash themselves in each instance they allegedly delivered the suitcases to the government officials they named.
But what does the ICC have to do in this affidavit?
The affidavit claimed that the ICC received funding from money supposedly provided by Co, specifically claiming that the former soldiers delivered millions of pesos to former senator Antonio Trillanes IV to support the tribunal's investigation into former president Rodrigo Duterte's violent crackdown on crime and illegal drugs.
Trillanes has since denied this claim, saying he did not accept a $2-million bribe from Co. The ICC Office of the Prosecutor also rejected the allegations in a statement to GMA News, saying its activities are funded through budgets approved by the ICC Assembly of State Parties.
Baligod said he became "curious" about the case of retired Sergeant Orly Guteza, who was the first to claim at a Senate hearing that he had delivered cash on behalf of Co. He then spoke with Guteza's colleagues and collected testimonies from additional former soldiers sometime in October and November 2025.
On Thursday, he submitted a notarized affidavit to the Office of the Ombudsman, which he said included not only photos but also videos of the houses where the suitcases were allegedly delivered. The footage, however, has yet to be verified by authorities.
Several of the lawmakers named in the affidavit have also dismissed the claims, questioning the affidavit's credibility, especially since its release coincided with Duterte's confirmation of charges hearing at the ICC.
The Philippine Navy also set the record straight that four of the 18 former soldiers claiming to be bagmen were never in the military, while most of the others had been dishonorably discharged, and some were verified retirees.
