De Lima: Duterte camp behind 18 Marines’ bribery claims for 'distraction'

Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima on Monday echoed former senator Antonio Trillanes IV in asserting that recent allegations by 18 supposed former Marines linking officials to a bribery scheme were orchestrated by the camp of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

De Lima described the timing of the allegations as “highly suspect,” noting that they surfaced amid major political and legal developments, including impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte and ongoing hearings at the International Criminal Court regarding Duterte’s war on drugs.

“Tama po si former senator Sonny Trillanes. It could only be the handiwork of the Duterte camp,” De Lima said shortly after she, together with Father Flavie Villanueva, filed perjury charges against the 18 Marines before the Department of Justice (DOJ).

She lamented the suspicious timing of the claims, saying they emerged shortly after the ICC concluded its confirmation of charges proceedings and amid heightened domestic political tensions.

“Look at the timing, there are impeachment proceedings against the Vice President, and the ICC developments have just happened. Then suddenly this was released,” De Lima said, adding that the move appeared designed to distract the public.

“To distract, napakalinaw ng agenda na ‘yan (the agenda is very clear). To confuse, to create confusion. Akala nila maraming kakagat, akala nila maraming maniniwala (they thought many will bite it, they thought many would believe),” she said.

De Lima also suggested the allegations could be intended to sow instability in the country. 

“Akala nila makaka-cause ng instability dito sa atin. ‘Yun ang nakikita namin (They though it wold cause an instability here. That how we see it),” she added.

Last week, Trillanes filed criminal complaints before the DOJ against lawyer Levito Baligod, former congressman Mike Defensor, broadcaster Jay Sonza, former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict spokesperson Lorraine Badoy, vlogger Cathy Binag, and 18 individuals presented as former Marines.

The respondents had accused Trillanes of receiving $2 million from former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co to bribe officials at the ICC in The Hague. 

Trillanes denied the allegation, saying it was intended to sabotage ongoing ICC investigations into Duterte’s war on drugs.