Trillanes files complaint vs 18 ‘ex-marines,’ personalities who alleged ICC bribery

MANILA, Philippines – Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV filed a criminal complaint against 18 “ex-marines” and other personalities who alleged that the International Criminal Court (ICC) received bribes.

Trillanes, who has been working with the ICC since 2017, filed a perjury complaint against the following former marines due to “their false testimonies”:

• Belnard Tube
• Rosebert Waupan
• Benny Bulontate
• Johnny Buduan
• Rodante Orbillo
• Reyneboy Julian
• Christopher Esquivel
• George Villalon, Jr.
• Romeo Rommel Bobares
• Gil Navidad, Jr.
• Anselmo Taberdo
• Joely Cadioa
• Rommel Galapon
• Cecilio Larroder, Jr.
• Bernard Gumban
• Crisanie Dado
• Fidel Corpuz
• Walter Manalansan

The former lawmaker also filed a complaint for cyber libel and alleged violation of Article 363 of the Revised Penal Code (incriminating an innocent person) against lawyer Levi Baligod, former lawmaker Mike Defensor, former broadcaster Jay Sonza, former anti-insurgency spokesperson Lorraine Badoy, and vlogger Cathy Binag “for the conflicting and defamatory statements regarding a fictitious $2 million cash transfer and unfounded accusations of kidnapping.”

“Attorney Baligod staged a live, televised circus to malign reputations and put the lives of genuine ICC witnesses at risk. Now that his fifteen minutes of fame are over, he and his cohorts who provided him the platform will finally face the legal consequences of their tall tales,” Trillanes said.

At the height of the ICC pre-trial hearings into the crimes against humanity cases of former president Rodrigo Duterte, the ex-marines’ affidavit circulated, alleging that they made cash deliveries to Trillanes to partly fund the ICC investigation.

They also claimed they were asked to be security escorts of the ICC personnel, identified the supposed ICC team members by name, and included one photo of a woman who is supposedly the ICC Office of the Prosecution’s international cooperation adviser, Chantal Daniels.

“These people are peddling a pathetic lie. As a complainant in the ICC case since 2017, I am expected to actively communicate with them – from gathering numerous evidence to securing witnesses. Is there a crime in holding a tyrant accountable? Why would ICC prosecutors need a bribe from me? They do not operate on the transactional, corrupt mindset that these people are clearly accustomed to,” Trillanes said.

“That was certainly deliberately done to intimidate us because I think that normally, our missions… shouldn’t be in the open public and that’s something that shouldn’t be done,” Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang, meanwhile, told Rappler in a one-on-one interview. – Rappler.com