Ex-Co aide claims P5M offered to recant testimony
EIGHTEEN former Marines, alleged former employees of Zaldy Co, gather as witnesses in the alleged maleta cash-for-favors scheme, where bags of money were purportedly distributed to politicians as bribes.
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A former bodyguard of ex-congressman Zaldy Co told the Sandiganbayan Third Division that witnesses were allegedly offered P5 million each to withdraw their allegations against public officials implicated in a purported cash delivery scheme.
Christopher Esquivel made the claim during the ongoing bail hearings of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who faces plunder charges involving an alleged P7.4-billion scheme linked to infrastructure projects from 2022 to 2025.
Esquivel testified that he and other former security personnel met with a former employee of Co at a restaurant in Cubao, Quezon City, in July.
According to Esquivel, they were offered P5 million to recant their statements, with an additional P5 million promised to anyone who persuaded other witnesses to do the same.
He said they were also promised assistance in securing the dismissal of libel cases filed by public officials implicated in their allegations.
Several former aides of Co previously claimed they delivered suitcases containing millions of pesos to politicians, including Romualdez, lawmakers and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The individuals implicated have disputed the accusations.
Some alleged couriers, including Orly Guteza, have since withdrawn their statements following reported threats and legal complaints.
However, other former security personnel represented by lawyer Levito Baligod have maintained their allegations.
During earlier hearings, witnesses George Villalon Jr., Johnny Buduan and Gil Navidad testified about purported cash deliveries to several properties allegedly linked to Romualdez, including an address along McKinley Road in Forbes Park, Makati City.
The former Speaker has not personally appeared in court during the reported hearings, instead participating through videoconferencing.
Proceedings on his bail petition are scheduled to continue until 12 November, after which the anti-graft court will assess whether the evidence meets the legal standard for denying bail.