“I don’t even want to label them 18 Marines, 18 bodyguards. Di nga natin alam kung ano ba talaga sila,” Public-interest lawyer and Team Pinas convenor Atty. Dino de Leon said. “Una, a lot of them, at least four of them, wala talagang track record of service sa ating Sandatahang Lakas. Pangalawa, some of them were dishonorably discharged by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.”
The lawmaker joined a growing number of figures questioning the credibility of the so-called “18 ex-Marines” who testified before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the flood control scandal, saying their allegations appeared politically motivated.
Speaking at the Saturday News Forum, De Leon said the witnesses’ backgrounds and service records should be closely scrutinized before their claims are given weight.
“So doon pa lang sa kasinungalingan na lahat sila mga Marines, para bang naninilbihan sa bayan, medyo iffy na tayo doon. Doubtful na tayo doon sa credibility nila,” he added.
The resource persons appeared before a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing convened by allies of recently ousted Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. They accused several lawmakers, House prosecutors, and public figures of receiving kickbacks from flood control projects.
De Leon said the allegations became questionable upon closer examination, particularly claims that hundreds of billions of pesos were allegedly delivered in cash. The former Marines claimed they delivered around P805 billion to lawmakers.
He also questioned the role of their legal counsel, Atty. Levito Baligod, who was allowed to speak on behalf of his clients during the proceedings. De Leon said this was unusual because lawyers of resource persons or witnesses are typically not allowed to testify during congressional inquiries.
De Leon pointed to what he described as glaring inconsistencies in the testimonies, including allegations against Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon and ML Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, both House prosecutors. He noted that the two were not yet elected lawmakers during the period when the alleged kickbacks were supposedly delivered.
“It’s a clear case of discrediting credible people dahil nauuna sila sa kritisismo dito sa mga Duterte,” De Leon said.
He also questioned why other names allegedly mentioned by the witnesses, including Sen. Loren Legarda and Sen. Mark Villar, were not receiving the same level of attention as those linked to the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte.
As a litigator, De Leon also criticized the conduct of the hearing, saying some questions appeared to lead witnesses toward specific answers.
“Mas kabisado pa ni Rodante Marcoleta yung testimonya nung mga ex-Marines o ex-bodyguards kaysa sa kanila mismo,” he said.
“Alam naming mga abogado ’yan na hindi puwedeng leading questions ang pagtatanong mo kasi it lessens credibility. Para kang tinuturuan on the spot. Rehearsed na nga, kino-coach pa,” he added.
De Leon said the timing of the hearing was difficult to ignore, as the Senate impeachment court is expected to proceed with Duterte’s trial in July.
“Bakit ginagawa at bakit tinatawag ang supposed Blue Ribbon hearing na iyan? Bakit sila nagmamadali?” he asked. “Kasi alam nila this will not stand in court.”
He argued that the hearing served a political purpose rather than a genuine investigative function, saying it gave the Cayetano-led bloc a venue to legitimize questionable testimony and divert attention from accountability issues.
“The real issue here is that the Senate institution is not performing because of what’s happening. Again, this is an attempt to block accountability in so far as the impeachment is concerned, in so far as Sara Duterte is concerned,” De Leon said.
“So inherently, nagkakabuhol-buhol ang mga kwento, hindi malinaw, talagang halata nagsinungaling, rehearsed, walang credibility ’yung mga witnesses, and this is just a clear attempt to divert us from the real issues,” he added.
De Leon described the witnesses as political instruments being used to attack critics of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his allies.
“They will be using people with no credibility whatsoever as a weapon, as a political tool, para ma-tarnish ang reputation ng mga taong lumalaban kay Rodrigo Duterte,” he said.
He compared the situation to past controversies where questionable witnesses were allegedly used to attack public officials and government critics, including De Lima, who had been accused of involvement in the illegal drug trade.
“What’s certain is binibigyan natin sila ng absolute kapangyarihan para siraan ang matitinong lingkod-bayan natin,” De Leon said.
“Ang mayroon lamang sila, laway. Laway at picture sometimes na nagpapicture sila sa isang public space,” he added.
De Leon warned the witnesses that they could personally face legal consequences if their statements are proven false.
“Ang challenge ko naman doon sa 18 sinungalings, ang problema po kasi, ginagamit po kayo. Ang question is, hanggang saan po kayo gusto magpagamit kasi alam niyo po, may kaso na po tayo. Nakasuhan na po kayo. Ilan na po diyan sa perjury po at pagsisinungaling ninyo at online cyberlibel ninyo,” he said.
“Kayo ang makakasuhan nang personal, pero nagpapagamit kayo kina Alan Peter, kay Rodante Marcoleta, pero kayo po nakakasuhan,” he added.
De Leon urged the public to scrutinize the allegations carefully and not allow unsubstantiated claims to derail legitimate accountability mechanisms.