Palace press officer and Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the new accusations by lawyer Levito Baligod that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is the “mastermind” of a multibillion-peso corruption scheme were purely fabricated and poorly executed.
“Paulit-ulit na kasinungalingan laban sa Pangulo. Lousy script, hindi pang-award-winning. Hindi malinis, alam mo na may kasinungalingan,” said Castro in a Palace press briefing on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Baligod appeared at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City, accompanied by 18 former members of the Philippine Marine Corps, whom he tagged as accomplices in bringing several pieces of luggage containing billions of pesos purportedly meant for Marcos Jr. and former lawmaker Zaldy Co.
“So, sino ba ang nasa likod nito, siguro dapat malaman ninyo, kung sino ba iyong may-ari ng sasakyan na siyang sumundo sa kanila matapos ang press briefing or presscon nila. So, paulit-ulit na kasinungalingan,” Castro added.
Baligod also said he was holding affidavits from the Marines detailing repeated deliveries of cash-filled suitcases to unnamed politicians. He stressed that the money — totaling P805 billion — was connected to allegedly anomalous flood control projects funded by the national government.
Who are the people behind the ops?
Pressed by members of the media on whom she was hinting at as being behind the appearance of Baligod and the Marines, Castro said reporters should not be surprised.
“Dapat ninyo sigurong malaman, kung sino talaga, alamin ninyo muna at baka kayo—I believe, hindi kayo magugulat, same people,” she said.
The Presidential mouthpiece further stressed that law enforcement agencies could do their job by filing complaints against Baligod and the 18 Marine Corps members for spreading lies and accusations against the President.
“Naandiyan ang NBI, naandiyan ang PNP, dapat malaman nila ito. Obligasyon nila na kasuhan ang mga nagpapakalat ng fake news, dapat pa ba silang utusan? Hindi po, obligasyon ng NBI, PNP, DOJ,” she said.
Not me — Mike Defensor
The name of former lawmaker Mike Defensor has been floated as the one who allegedly orchestrated the sudden appearance of Baligod and the Marines, but Castro responded: “Is that your guess?”
In a radio interview on Wednesday, Defensor denied involvement.
“Hindi ako ang pasimuno niyan. Actually, kung nakita niyo naman, si Atty. Levi talaga ang kausap ng mga sundalo. May mga tumutulong din na mga opisyal. Masyado naging tahimik at dahan-dahan na inayos nila at nag-usap sila ng mga sundalo para lumabas at magkaroon ng ganitong statement,” he said.
The Marine Corps members are said to be corroborating the accusations of former Master Sgt. Orly Regala Guteza.
“Pero ako mismo, particular, siyempre ang interest ko dito, yung kay Sgt. Guteza. Malaking bagay ito na una, matulungan yung mga binabanggit na sinabi ni Sgt. Guteza. May mga nagtitext, may mga tumatawag… Talagang pinipilit siguro na hindi mailabas itong impormasyon na ito.”
He then backed Baligod’s earlier pronouncement that the Marines coordinated their joint affidavit.
“Ginawa nila isang buong affidavit na ang ibinunyag ng paglalahad. Wala silang direktang pagtutugma kung doon sa mga sinabi. Siguro, at most, yung binanggit lang eh, yung pagdedeliver ng pera, siya [Zaldy Co] siguro magkakapagbigay mismo ng substansya,” he said.
The former lawmaker said the affidavits would be submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman under Baligod’s supervision, adding that he supports the Marines’ courage.
“Sumusuporta ako sa kanila, naniniwala ako dun sa kanila mga sinasabi. Sana malocate namin talaga si Sgt. Guteza na magkasama-sama na talaga at mabuo yung kanilang salaysay,” he said.