4 ex-bodyguards recant statements vs. Marcos, Romualdez, Co

Four of the men, who identified themselves as former bodyguards of former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, have signed affidavits recanting their allegations in previous sworn statements against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., former Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, Co, and other personalities.

According to Mariz Umali’s report on “24 Oras,” the four men said they were recanting their earlier statements, claiming that their previous allegations were not true.

"We just want to recant... We're taking back our previous statement. We just want to live quietly. We are facing cases and threats to our lives," one of the men said in Filipino.

The four didn’t show their faces on camera, citing threats to their lives.

They presented separate newly executed affidavits and provided GMA News copies of videos showing the documents being notarized.

Financial assistance promise?

The four men claimed they signed the earlier joint affidavit because they had allegedly been promised financial assistance.

"There was a promise made. For financial assistance, for instance. They said we can afford not to work for two years. Then there would be security for our families," one of them said in Filipino.

Asked what they were allegedly promised in exchange for, he replied, "Kapalit po sa ginawa na pinajoint affidavit po (In exchange for the joint affidavit)."

Three of the men told GMA News they had signed affidavits submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman, which are now part of an ongoing investigation involving Romualdez and others.

They further claimed that when they appeared before the Ombudsman, they were allegedly pressured to sign affidavits that had already been prepared and were allegedly warned that they would face multiple cases if they refused.

The men said they wrote the new affidavits by their own free will.

GMA News is getting comments from the Ombudsman and the former bodyguards' lawyer, Atty. Levito Baligod.

Earlier allegations

In February 2026, a group of 18 men who identified themselves as former security personnel of Co — some of them former Marines — surfaced publicly and executed affidavits alleging that they had delivered suitcases of cash to Marcos, Romualdez, Co and other personalities.

The affidavits were presented by Baligod.

According to the four men interviewed by GMA News, they had been considering recanting their statements for about two months before executing their new affidavits around two weeks ago.

They also claimed that some of their former companions were considering doing the same.
GMA News is seeking the comment of the Office of the Ombudsman and Baligod regarding the allegations made by the four men. —NB, GMA News