Boying Remulla confirms meeting Trillanes, ICC investigators in 2025

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said that he met with International Criminal Court (ICC) personnel to discuss the protection of Filipino witnesses in the crimes against humanity case against former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Remulla, in an interview with GMA Integrated News' Saleema Refran, said that former senator Antonio Trillanes IV introduced him to the ICC personnel around a year ago to discuss witness protection.

Remulla said that he was still the Justice secretary when the meeting happened.

“Totoo ‘yun [na nakipagkita ako sa ICC personnel] . Nakipag-usap ako kay Trillanes, pinakilala niya sa akin ‘yung ICC [personnel], iyong dalawang personal na ICC. Kasi nga, meron kaming usapan na ang testigo, dapat protektahan iyong testigo ng ICC,” Remulla said.

(It is true. I talked with Trillanes, and he introduced me to the the ICC personnel, two personnel of the ICC. Because we were discussing that witnesses in the ICC case should be protected.)

“Since we're in the DOJ (Department of Justice), kinakailangan gawin namin 'yun. Mga Pilipino kasi mga testigong 'to. [This happened] maybe less than a year ago,” Remulla added.

(We needed to provide that protection because these witnesses are Filipinos.)

Likewise, Remulla said that the Justice Department’s action in helping out the ICC case witnesses is legally and morally above board.

“Bakit hindi? Ang nakasalalay dito buhay ng mga testigo. Kailangan protektahan natin ang tao hangga’t kaya natin,” he said.

(I say, why not? What is at stake here is the life of the witnesses. We need to protect human life to the best of our ability.)

Lawyer Levito Baligod earlier accused Remulla of committing graft over his meeting with ICC personnel, adding that the meeting caused “undue damage to government.”

When asked about the undue damage caused by Remulla’s actions, 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 the former president over his arrest and detention in an ICC facility.

Baligod went to the Ombudsman last week to submit the joint affidavit of 18 former Marines who alleged that ex-Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co instructed them to distribute suitcases of money to several personaities. 

Baligod is the counsel of ex-Marines. 

Remulla, however, said such an affidavit will not hold water as it is.  

“We will ask Atty. Baligod to submit the affidavit of each of the 18, so we would know if what they are alleging is indeed of their personal knowledge,” he said.

“Kasi parang ano yun eh. Parang pinagtagpi-tagpi na kwento ng bawat isa, ginawang isang affidavit. Hindi dapat ganun ang isang affidavit. [Ang] affidavit, you swear to the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. And of your own personal knowledge. That’s the challenge,” he added.

(It appears that it was a patchwork of the allegations of the 18, made into one affidavit. That is not how an affidavit should be.) —AOL, GMA Integrated News