The confirmation of a meeting between representatives of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla during his tenure as Justice secretary has further strengthened the claim by 18 former Marines that they had worked under fugitive Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co.

Remulla admitted meeting with the ICC investigators, corroborating the Marines’ claim that he hosted clandestine meetings at his private residence.

The meetings were allegedly for the purpose of undermining the position of non-cooperation with the ICC in connection with the probe into former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.

Another revelation was that destabilizer former S enator Antonio Trillanes IV served as a liaison to the ICC delegates, with the Marines allegedly delivering $2 million in cash to facilitate their investigations, with the money used to defray their expenses, such as hotel accommodations.

The ICC engagements were held during the time of the P805-billion flood control kickback scandal, suggesting that the funds for the ICC-related activities came from funds pilfered from overpriced or fictitious projects.

The day after the Iglesia ni Cristo issued a statement demanding the “full truth” on the “Floodgate” scandal and, by extension, the Baligod revelations, Remulla publicly admitted to meeting with two ICC investigators and Trillanes at his residence.

Remulla, however, said the discussions were on protecting the Filipino witnesses in the ICC’s case against Duterte. He emphasized his duty to safeguard their lives, saying, “Because we have an agreement that the witnesses should be protected.”

The meeting occurred after Duterte’s 11 March 2025 arrest and was not about broader cooperation or funding.

Thus, the other points raised by the Marines, which the Palace dismissed as part of the dirty tricks of the opponents of President Marcos, were more incriminating and may not be readily admitted by those involved, such as the photos of cash deliveries from anomalous contracts.

Lawyer Levi Baligod held a press conference on 24 February at Club Filipino in San Juan, where he introduced the group and shared their affidavit.

The Marines alleged that they were instructed by Co to deliver proceeds from kickbacks that totaled P805 billion, mainly from overpriced or fictitious flood control projects between 2022 and 2025.

The covert operations involved the group acting as escorts to ensure safe delivery. They claimed multiple trips, sometimes under the guise of official duty.

The affidavits named 33 lawmakers who received undeclared cash, including seven senators and Trillanes, for ICC-related operations.

The Marines came forward, citing a sense of duty and frustration with corruption, reaching out to Baligod through connections in anti-corruption networks.

In a recent statement criticizing what it described as the snail-paced investigation into the “Floodgate” scandal, the Iglesia ni Cristo questioned the government’s apparent silence on the Marines’ revelations.

Taken together, the accounts offered by the former Marines present a narrative that aligns in sequence and internal logic, lending weight to their claims of corruption and manipulation.