De Lima, priest file raps vs 18 'ex-Marines' over cash delivery claims

House Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima of ML party-list and Fr. Flavie Villanueva on Monday filed complaints against 18 personalities who introduced themselves as former Marines and their counsel Levito Baligod amid allegations that they received money from former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.

De Lima and Villanueva filed a cyberlibel complaint with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and perjury complaint with the Department of Justice.  

The supposed former military personnel, assisted by Baligod, have accused De Lima and other personalities of accepting cash contained in suitcases from Co for case build up against former President Rodrigo Duterte.

De Lima and Villanueva have vehemently denied the accusations, saying their accusers failure to be consistent in their allegations—from accepting money in suitcases to then in a paper bag—clearly shows their claims are falsehood.

“Nandito kami sa DOJ dahil kaka-file lang po namin ng complaint-affidavit for perjury (We’re here at the DOJ because we filed a complaint-affidavit for perjury),” De Lima said in a tweet of GMA Integrated News’ Sandra Aguinaldo.

“Since these are untruthful statements made in their sworn affidavit…signed and executed by the 18 alleged ex-Marines, nagpasya ako na mag-file ng complaint-affidavit for perjury kasi nga pawang kasinungalingan para ilito ang mga tao at siraan ang aking pangalan,” the lawmaker added. 

(Since these are untruthful statements made in their sworn affidavit…signed and executed by the 18 alleged ex-Marines, we decided to file the complaint-affidavit for perjury. These statements are false and are meant to confuse the public and besmirch my name.)

Baligod later admitted committing error of including De Lima on the list of recipients and said she received it in a paper bag in 2025. 

“They are besmirching my name, smearing my reputation sa mga kasinungalingan na ito.  Sana tigilan na nila ako. Stop your lies against me. Hindi pa ba kayo nanawa sa kapapanira sa akin? So I have to do something,” De Lima added.

(They are besmirching my name and smearing my reputation with their lies. I hope they would stop their lies. Stop your lies against me.)

Sought for comment, Baligod said they are "ready and willing to face all accusations against us. I hope those mentioned in the Affidavit will also face our accusations."

Duterte has been detained in an International Criminal Court facility for a year now pending the crimes against humanity charges leveled against him over the thousands of drug war deaths during his presidency and tenure as Davao City mayor.

The government officials and individuals mentioned in the affidavit have since denied the allegations against them, with the Philippine Navy saying that four of the 18 were never members of the Navy nor the Philippine Marine Corps.

Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV last week likewise filed a perjury complaint against the supposed 18 former Marines.

“Sa ngalan ng mga homeless, sa ngalan ng mga biktima ng  extrajudicial killing noong panahon ni Rodrigo Duterte, kami po ay naninindigan sa katotohanan. Ginamit nila ang marangal na pangalan ng Bahay Kalinga…patuloy pinapasinungalingan ang testimonya ng mga biktima na biniktima na nga pero patuloy pa rin nilang gustong sirain ang kanilang mga testimonya,” Villanueva said, referring to the group he founded which provided shelter and other basic needs to the families of those killed during the drug war.

(In the name of those homeless victims of the extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration, we stand for truth here. They used Bahay Kalinga and tried to discredit the testimony of the victims who were only telling the truth.)

“Ito ay isang pananakot, paninira sa integridad ng ICC. At lalong higit, gusto nila idiin na ang mga testigo ay bayaran, Tutuldukan ko to sapagkat kilala ko yung mga biktima, kilala ko kung paano sila pinatay. Kaya kami narinito para sampahan at sabihin mga kasinungalingan ang paratang sa amin,” he added.

(This is a scare tactic, a smear campaign on the ICC. But ultimately, they paint the witnesses as someone who were just paid off to say things but this has to end. I know the victims and I know how were they killed. And that is why we filed these complaints because of all the lies besmirching our name.)

De Lima agreed that the moves of the 18 Marines are nothing but smokescreen in the aftermath of the confirmation of charges hearing of Duterte before the ICC and the impeachment proceedings in the House against his daughter and Vice President Sara Duterte.

“It could only be the handiwork of the Duterte camp. Just look at the timing. They aim to distract. Akala nila, maraming kakagat (They thought many will fall for their lies),” De Lima said.

“Crime does not pay. And lying is a crime,” added De Lima, a former Justice chief. —with a report from Sandra Aguinaldo/AOL, GMA Integrated News