Ex-marines allege cash scheme; Senate to probe

A GROUP of 18 former elite soldiers submitted a referral to the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday, alleging they delivered billions of pesos in cash to high-ranking government officials.

The whistleblowers, mostly ex-personnel of the Philippine Marine Corps and Philippine Army, submitted a 31-page joint affidavit through lawyer Levito D. Baligod, detailing their roles as “security consultants” for former Party-list Rep. Elizaldy S. Co.

The affidavit claims the former soldiers’ primary duty was escorting assistants who transported suitcases and paper bags filled with cash, referred to in the document as “basura” (trash).

Large suitcases held P50 million to P70 million, medium-sized P30 million to P40 million and smaller ones P15 million to P25 million, according to the ex-soldiers. Paper bags reportedly contained P5 million to P10 million, while expandable envelopes held about P2 million.

In cases where suitcases ran out, they said they were ordered to buy cartons or storage boxes for the remaining cash.

The referral names seven senators, 26 congressmen and several government officials. Many were described as “top-tier officials” while the Ombudsman evaluates the claims.

The affidavit also alleges that from 2023 to 2025, the ex-soldiers provided security for International Criminal Court (ICC) investigators secretly operating in the Philippines to probe the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.

The group claims that high-ranking Cabinet officials met privately with these investigators despite the government’s official policy of noncooperation with the ICC.

The Office of the Ombudsman clarified that the submission is currently categorized as a “transmittal of an affidavit” and has not yet reached the status of a verified complaint to initiate formal proceedings.

“The document will undergo the standard evaluation process,” it said. “This includes a determination of sufficiency in form and substance, jurisdiction and the existence of a prima facie basis to proceed, if warranted.”

It cited its independence and noted that political context would not affect the assessment of the affidavit’s contents or the credibility of the ex-soldiers.

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Panfilo M. Lacson said the panel would first review the ex-soldiers’ claims before deciding whether to hold formal hearings.

“We will evaluate first the source of information, which in this case are the 18 alleged marine personnel who appeared at a press conference last Tuesday,” he said in a statement. “Second is the reliability or credibility of the information itself, meaning the content of their affidavit.”

Mr. Lacson also questioned the scale of the alleged cash transfers, noting that the P805 billion cited in the affidavit would require at least 13,400 large suitcases, not including smaller ones.

Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte is now under ICC custody awaiting trial for crimes against humanity after the government handed him over to the International Criminal Police Organization last year.

Mr. Lacson said he has asked the Philippine Navy and Army to verify the military records of the 18 ex-soldiers.

The Navy said four of the group were never members, while most others were discharged dishonorably.

National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año, also named in the affidavit, rejected the allegations. “I categorically reject and denounce the malicious, unsigned affidavit purportedly from 18 ex-marines accusing me of receiving a paper bag after a meeting at the Polo Club townhouse,” he said in a statement.

He added that his lawyers would take steps to protect his reputation. He described the timing of the affidavit, amid ongoing ICC hearings and the 40^th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, as politically sensitive.

Senator Ronald “Bato” M. dela Rosa and Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go were previously named as co-perpetrators in ICC proceedings targeting former Mr. Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.

The tribunal alleged their involvement in operations that resulted in extrajudicial killings, though neither has been arrested. The ex-soldiers’ affidavit references alleged interactions with ICC investigators, raising further attention to the tribunal’s inquiry.

Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio said the testimony from the former soldiers reinforces her allegations of foreign involvement in Philippine affairs.

In a statement, Ms. Duterte said their accounts were consistent with information she had long possessed regarding coordination between certain Philippine officials and investigators from the ICC.

“Sovereignty should not depend on who benefits and should not shift with political winds,” she said. “When we weaken the principle of sovereignty, we do not only affect one leader or one family. We affect the dignity of our country and the trust of our people in the institutions meant to protect them.”

Senator Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 317, calling for an investigation into the cash scheme and the ex-soldiers’ reported cooperation with the ICC.

Mr. Lacson said the committee would start preliminary checks to determine whether the allegations merit a full inquiry, with a focus on consistency, credibility and alignment with known facts. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking and Adrian H. Halili