Trillanes drops complaints vs 4 ex-bodyguards following recantation 

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Friday he had dropped the charges against four of the 18 men who identified themselves as ex-bodyguards of former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co after they recanted their earlier allegations against President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez, Co, and other personalities.

“Kaugnay sa report ng GMA news ng pag-recant ng apat na ex-soldiers ng kanilang mga naunang affidavits at allegations laban sakin, sa ICC (International Criminal Court) at sa iba pang mga personalidad, sinabihan ko na ang aking abogado na i-atras na ang mga kaso na isinampa ko laban sa kanilang apat,” Trillanes said on Facebook.

(In relation to a GMA News’ report that four of the ex-soldiers recanted their affidavits and allegations against me, the ICC, and other personalities, I instructed my lawyer to withdraw our cases against them.)

“Bilang dating sundalo, nagsisimpatya ako sa pinagdadaanan nila na dahil sa kawalan ng kabuhayan ay pinagsamantalahan sila ng mga taong may madilim na layuning political,” he said.

(I sympathize with them as a former soldier. With the lack of livelihood, they were exploited by individuals with firm political motives.)

The former Philippine Navyl officer, who was accused by Co’s alleged former security personnel of bribing ICC investigators, said he hopes they have “learned their lesson from the incident and that the other ex-soldiers will also be enlightened.”

According to Mariz Umali’s report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, the four men signed newly executed affidavits recanting their earlier statements and claiming their previous allegations were not true.

They also said they signed the earlier joint affidavit because they had allegedly been promised financial assistance.

DOJ

When sought for comment, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said that the cases are already under the jurisdiction of the courts.

“Any matter relating to the proceedings, whether substantive or procedural, is now for the courts to determine. We therefore cannot comment further,” the DOJ said.

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. Lawyer Levi Baligod presented their affidavits. — RSJ, GMA News