Baligod: Ombudsman should probe cash delivery allegations of ex-Marines

Lawyer Levito Baligod on Thursday urged the Office of the Ombudsman to probe the allegations of 18 personalities who were introduced as supposed ex-Marines that Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co instructed them to deliver cash to various individuals. 

Baligod said the Ombudsman can now act on the allegations since he already submitted their notarized affidavit.

“We are here in the Office of the Ombudsman because this office has a primary jurisdiction to investigate government officials allegedly involved in corruption,” he said.

The 18 former Marines were not with Baligod when he brought their affidavit.

“We are here to present a prima facie proof that an offense has been committed by the people named in the affidavit. These offenses include, graft, violations of RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) prohibiting public officials from receiving gifts. Ang basehan po namin ay tumanggap sila ng milyon-milyon na pera pero hindi po nila naipakita sa kanilang SALN,” he added.

(We are alleging that they received millions of pesos but they failed to declare it in their SALN.)

Baligod also accused Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, then Justice secretary, of committing graft for meeting with International Criminal Court (ICC) staff which he said caused “undue damage to government.”

Asked what “undue damage to government” happened, Baligod did not give a categorical answer and replied, “Well, I will not tell you now the possible connection. Kasi, merong kasong kidnapping na isinampa ang pamilya ni Duterte.”

He was referring to kidnapping charges filed by the family of former President Rodrigo Duterte who is now facing trial for alleged crimes against humanity over drug war deaths before the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

Likewise, Baligod did not give a direct answer as to what is the purpose of Co giving money to public officials.

“Ito ang lalabas sa investigation (These will come out in the investigation),” he said.

Lawyer Levi Baligod calls on Ombudsman Boying Remulla to probe the allegations of 18 ex-Marines that ex-Ako Bicol party list Rep. Zaldy Co delivered millions of money to lawmakers and the President as stated in notarized affidavit he submitted to the Ombudsman @gmanews pic.twitter.com/QErWaKbGEY

— Llanesca T. Panti (@llanescajourno) February 26, 2026

Baligod, in a radio interview early Thursday initially said that they made a mistake in including ML party-list Leila de Lima as one of the recipients of money from Co.

But when he was interviewed by journalists before the Ombudsman later in the day, Baligod reverted to the initial allegation made by the former Marines on Tuesday that de Lima was involved.

“Si Congresswoman de Lima ay nakikita kasi na nakikipag-meeting sa Unit Town A sa Polo Club Townhouse sa Forbes Park. Iyong mga pumirma sa affidavit, sila kasi iyong mga naghahanda ng pera, sila iyong nagdadala, sila iyong nagbabantay. Bago ang meeting, dinadala sa loob ng meeting place,” he said.

(They see Congresswoman de Lima being present in a meeting in Forbes Park. Those who signed the affidavit prepare the money, they bring the money, they guard the money that they deliver to the meeting place.)

“At nakikita nila, iyong mga bitbit nila na bag, bagahe na may pera, paglabas ng mga nagmimeeting roon ay bitbit na rin nila ang kaparehong paper bag o maleta man ‘yan, at isa si Leila de Lima na nakita nila mismo, eyewitness [sila], na nagdala ng paper bag na may salapi sa loob na hindi magkukulang na P5 milyon,” Baligod added.

(They see that the bags with money that they bring to the meeting place, they see people exiting with the same paper bags or suitcases, and they saw de Lima with a paper bag with money worth P5 million.)

De Lima slammed Baligod’s topsy-turvy takes on her, saying her accusers are clearly lying.

“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!,” de Lima said in a statement.

(Whether it is suitcase or paper bag, those are clear lies. Their lies are spiraling because of their brazen demolition job against me.)

“Baligod is playing fast and loose with his license to practice law,” de Lima added.

Those named in the affidavit already denied allegations, with Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro calling it a lousy script, if not delusion and downright lies. —AOL, GMA Integrated News