Baligod, ex-Marines face NBI for probe into cash delivery claims

Lawyer Levito Baligod and the alleged former Marines who claimed to have delivered cash from former lawmaker Zaldy Co to various public officials appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday.

In an ambush interview, Baligod said they are ready to cooperate and provide the information needed amid the bureau’s probe on the Marines’ claims and credibility.

“But I looked at the subpoena, and it appears that what the NBI wants to know is the background of the 18 so we will provide all the information,” he said.

“We will provide their serial numbers. Ang sabi ‘yung walo daw ay hindi empleyado ni Zaldy Co, so we will provide their identification cards, signed by Zaldy Co, na empleyado sila,” he added.

(We will provide their serial numbers. They say that eight are not employees of Zaldy Co, so we will provide their identification cards, signed by Zaldy Co, that they are employees.)

This came after NBI Director Melvin Matibag stated that eight of the 18 Marines did not work under Zaldy Co, and that four were not Marines but rather drivers and bodyguards.

According to Baligod, 16 were former Marines, and 2 were former members of the Philippine Army.

Following their appearance before the NBI, Matibag said, “They are potential witness, they could be perpetrator, they could be witness, depende nga po sa tatakbuhin— they could be a victim."

(They are potential witness, they could be perpetrators, they could be witnesses depending on the investigation— they could be victims.)

“Eh, sa ngayon nga po, wala pa nga po nasagot doon sa mga pangyayari doon sa kwento nung salaysay eh. Personal circumstances pa lang ‘yung na-establish eh,” he added.

(Right now, there’s still nothing, because there are no answers yet on the incidents stated in their affidavit. Only their personal circumstances were established.)

Meanwhile, Baligod said the NBI has determined that the 18 Marines are not suspects but potential witnesses.

“Meron po kaming very productive na exercise kanina. So the NBI cleared na hindi mga suspects ang mga ito kung hindi mga potential witnesses,” he said in an ambush interview.

(We had a very productive exercise earlier. The NBI cleared that they are not suspects but potential witnesses.)

When asked if the Marines were ready to file separate affidavits, Baligod said that a joint affidavit may be made if there is common knowledge.

“’Yung unang portion nung affidavit, ang ginagamit na pronoun doon ay kami kasi lahat sila empleyado. Pero pagka dating doon sa mga nag-deliver nakalagay naman specific doon,” he said.

(In the first portion of the affidavit, we use the pronoun ‘we’ because they are employees. But when you reach the portion on the deliveries, we stated the specific individuals involved.)

Baligod also said that Charlie Pascual, the lawyer who notarized the affidavit of the 18 Marines, is connected to his law firm.

“I am their of counsel… It means kung may mga cases sila that they need some support or help, I help them out. And also, I farm out cases kasi nag a-unwind na ko sa law practice ko eh,” he said.

(I am their of counsel… it means that I help them out when they have cases that they need support or help. And also, I farm out cases because I am unwinding from my law practice.)

Also present was lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, the legal counsel of former Congressman Mike Defensor.

“We are here out of respect to the NBI as an institution. Pero, sa palagay po namin, ang ginagawa pong ito ng kasalukuyang liderato ng NBI ay harassment and intimidation ng mga nagsusumbong,” he said.

(We are here out of respect to the NBI as an institution. But in our view, what the current leadership of the NBI is doing is harassment and intimidation of those who are reporting wrongdoing.)

Topacio added that the NBI is composed of professionals who he said would “rather be investigating anomalies than whistleblowers.”

“Nandito po kami ginagalang namin ang NBI pero hindi po namin wine-waive ang aming rights dito,” he said.

(We are here and we respect the NBI but we are not waiving our rights here.)

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, House Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima of the ML party-list, Fr. Flavie Villanueva, and Corrections Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. have filed complaints against the marines and others over the allegations.

— with a report from John Consulta/RSJ, GMA Integrated News