Ridon takes swipe at 'maleta' claims, opens suitcase containing wigs, mangoes

House Impeachment Prosecutor Representative Terry Ridon on Saturday mocked claims made by the so-called “18 Marines,” who alleged that he received money in suitcases, by showing a piece of luggage containing only wigs and mangoes.

“Para tapusin na ‘yong kasinungalingan sa maleta, meron po tayong dalang maleta ngayong araw po na ito. Hindi po lahat ng maleta, may pera. ‘Yong iba po may mangga at peluka,” Ridon said at a news forum in Quezon City.

(To end the lies about the suitcase issue, I brought a suitcase today. Not all suitcases contain money. Others contain mangoes and wigs.)

The Bicol Saro Partylist lawmaker was among the personalities named by the supposed former members of the Philippine Marines as among those whom they delivered money in suitcases.

WATCH: House Impeachment Prosecution Panel member Rep. Terry Ridon opens a luggage containing mangoes and wigs as he stated that the lower chamber will not be deterred by the allegations of so-called 18 Marines. pic.twitter.com/6EuKVSc0Xd

— Ted Cordero (@Ted_Cordero) June 6, 2026

Ridon again denied the allegations, saying the House Prosecution Team will not be deterred by the claims.

“Kahit kailan, kahit saang panahon, kahit saan mang lugar, wala po akong natanggap na maleta,” the lawmaker said.

(I have never, at any point, received a suitcase—regardless of the time or place.)

“The House and the House Prosecution Panel will not be deterred. Hindi kami magpapapgil sa mga kasinungalingan at mga fabricated testimonies ng kung sinoman,” he said.

(We will not be stopped by lies and fabricated testimonies by anyone.)

He also challenged the so-called “18 Marines” to repeat their allegations at a Blue Ribbon committee hearing to be led by Senator Erwin Tulfo on Monday, June 8.

“If they can subject themselves to congressional scrutiny under an official proceeding like what will happen on Monday, then doon ho natin na mate-test kung talaga ho bang may kredibilidad ‘yung kanila pong sinasabi at hindi po sila nagsisinungaling. Pag hindi po sila sumipot doon, eh malinaw na malinaw. Wala hong kredibilidad, purong kasinungalingan po yung ginawa po noong nagdaang pagpupulong,” the lawmaker said.

(If they are willing to subject themselves to congressional scrutiny under an official proceeding like what will happen on Monday, then that is where we can test whether their claims are truly credible and whether they are telling the truth. If they fail to appear, then it will be very clear. They have no credibility, and what they did during the previous meeting was nothing but lies.)

The congressman said his name did not appear in the first affidavit executed by the "18 Marines" and that it was only brought up later.

Ridon also reiterated that the House Prosecution Panel is ready to proceed to trial in July under any Senate leadership and under any presiding officer of the Senate Impeachment Court.

On Wednesday, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian was elected Senate President Pro Tempore after the Senate reconvened with 12 members present.

Gatchalian was installed following the appearance of Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero. As the new Senate President Pro Tempore, Gatchalian replaced Senator Loren Legarda.

Escudero was the only majority bloc member who attended the plenary session, breaking the two consecutive days the Senate did not hold session due to the majority bloc's continued absence.

“Tuloy ang impeachment trial. Ilalatag ng Kamara, ilalatag ng House Prosecution Panel ‘yong lahat ng mga ebidensya laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte… ‘Yung AMLC reports, ‘yong NBI reports, ‘yong video documentation ng pagbabanta laban sa Pangulo. Ang usapin po ay pagpapanagot sa Pangalawang Pangulo, wala nang iba,” Ridon said.

(The impeachment trial will proceed. The House, and the House Prosecution Panel will present all the evidence against Vice President Sara Duterte… the AMLC reports, NBI reports, video documentation of her threats against the President. The issue is about holding the Vice President accountable, nothing more.)

Vice President Sara Duterte, through her legal team, formally filed on Monday her answer to the Articles of Impeachment filed against her.

In their pleadings, Duterte's legal team submitted that the Articles of Impeachment are "constitutionally infirm, procedurally defective, and substantively deficient". They also sought the dismissal of the impeachment case against the Vice President.

Duterte's team also denied the accusations and said the "mini-trial" of the House of Representatives "exceeded the constitutional limits of its authority."

"Ultimately, none of the allegations sufficiently establish the constitutional standards for culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, high crimes, or betrayal of public trust," the answer reads.

"Rather than presenting clear, credible, and legally sufficient proof of impeachable conduct, the Articles rely on erroneous conclusions, speculation, political rhetoric, and materials gathered through an unauthorized evidentiary fishing expedition conducted beyond the constitutional role of the House of Representatives," it added. --VAL/VBL, GMA News