Former senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV has denied allegations linking him to payments for International Criminal Court (ICC) investigators and vowed to file cyber libel charges against Atty. Levi Baligod, 18 former Marines, and several others.
“I vehemently deny that I received $2M or any amount from Zaldy Co for the ICC investigation or any other purpose. This is an attempt to discredit the ongoing ICC proceedings against Duterte. I will be filing cyberlibel cases… I will not be distracted. Hahabulin ko kayo,” Trillanes said in a statement.
Baligod, a pork barrel fund scam whistleblower, alleged that ICC investigators were “wined and dined” by individuals publicly known to be opponents of those they were probing.
He made the claim while presenting 18 former Marines who reportedly worked for Zaldy Co and were allegedly tasked with delivering suitcases of money to high-ranking government officials.
At a press conference in San Juan City on Tuesday, Feb. 24, Baligod said part of the funds from the flood control scandal were spent on ICC investigators, particularly those looking into former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.
According to him, the former Marines were ordered by Co to convert two suitcases containing ₱56 million for “foreigners,” later identified as ICC officials set to interview witnesses allegedly chosen by Trillanes.
The interviews were reportedly conducted in private properties rather than government offices.
“The ICC investigators, themselves, committed graft and corruption… lahat ng sasakyan, lahat ng pagkain, lahat ng accommodations nila ay sinagot ng mga tao na kilala naman nila na kalaban ng kanilang iniimbestigahan,” Baligod exclaimed.
He added that that his group would file a complaint before the Ombudsman.
“We will prove that the conduct of the ICC investigators in the Philippines is unprecedented, because they were dined and wined by people who are publicly known to be opponents of the people hosting them,” he stressed.
known to be opponents of the people hosting them,” he stressed. (Patrick Garcia)
