Baligod to seek ICC review of alleged Philippines probe

Lawyer Levi Baligod said he plans to submit an affidavit to the International Criminal Court seeking an assessment of whether its alleged investigation in the Philippines, reportedly involving former senator Sonny Trillanes, was bona fide.

In an exclusive interview with DZRH, Baligod said he wants the ICC to determine whether its investigators conducted a genuine inquiry.

“Meaning, for the ICC to determine whether these investigators conducted a genuine investigation in the Philippines,” he said.

Baligod claimed that Paul Estrada and Mark Ticsay, whom he described as trusted operatives of Zaldy Co., learned that foreign officials were arriving in the country.

“And then these soldiers were the ones who picked them up at the airport. Sonny Trillanes was the one providing the contact number,” Baligod narrated in Tagalog, referring to the alleged involvement of the former senator.

He said the Marines supposedly transported the foreigners to a designated condominium or hotel and accompanied them with security escorts whenever they went out.

“It was only later that they realized these people were from the ICC. Since they were photographed and compared, they could no longer deny it,” he said.

“So the ICC was moving in and out of the Philippines around 2024 to 2025,” he added.

Baligod, known for handling high-profile criminal cases including the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam, expressed skepticism about the ICC’s effectiveness, saying it appears to exert influence mainly over developing countries while lacking authority over major nations.

He noted that the court has not enforced arrest warrants against figures such as Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu, or against entities like the U.S. Department of Defense.

“I will provide the embassies of the different ICC member states with this information so they can also review whether their contributions to the ICC are still valid, given the conduct of these investigators,” he said.