‘Ex-Marines’: We are not pro-Duterte, not pro-Marcos

The supposed former Marines said they are not aligned with any political camp — whether that of former President Rodrigo Duterte or the Marcos family.

At a press conference Thursday in Pasig City, 11 of the 18 “ex-Marines” appeared before the media with former lawmaker Mike Defensor, shortly before former Sen. Sonny Trillanes IV filed a perjury complaint against them at the Department of Justice over allegations of a scheme involving investigators of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

When asked about the whereabouts of the other members of the group, they said some were securing their families from threats.

“We are not pro-Duterte. We are not pro-BBM. We are neutral,” a private first class of the Philippine Navy Marines said.

“We are ordinary Filipinos. In a situation like this where we are spreading the truth, I hope they will respect us, give us credibility, not [lower] our morals,” he added.

The group said no one was funding them, stressing that they were simply in the middle — not taking sides and not seeking assistance from anyone.

“All we're talking about here is the anomalies that occurred in flood control, the money that we're bringing to high-ranking government officials,” former Sgt. Dante Orbillo added.

Orbillo also asked the public not to discredit them because they had been discharged from the service.

“[I hope] they don't destroy us [because] we were discharged from the Marines. [The] money really [is] from flood control, [or maybe] from other projects that should have benefited the people,” he said.

Aside from the Marines, Trillanes also filed cyberlibel complaints against Defensor, lawyer Levito Baligod, and internet personalities Jay Sonza, Lorraine Badoy and Cathy Binag.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the Office of the Ombudsman and the National Bureau of Investigation were validating the identities of the Marines.

He said not all of them were Marines, some were no longer in active service, and several had been dishonorably discharged, with some even facing murder cases.

The group, however, clarified that among the 18 individuals, 16 were Marines, one was a retired Army soldier and one was a reservist.

Asked if they would attend a Senate or House investigation if invited, the group said they were willing to appear.

Creating a ‘tipping point’

Meanwhile, Remulla said the so-called “brave 18” were attempting to create a political “tipping point.”

“What more? Alam na natin ‘yun They want to [a] branch of the service to rise up in arms.[T]hey’re creating a tipping point,” he said.