A political coalition on Sunday denounced what it described as threats and intimidation against the 18 self-proclaimed former military personnel who testified before the Alan Peter Cayetano-led Blue Ribbon Committee, alleging that several lawmakers received cash-filled luggage.
In a statement posted on Facebook, former congressman and RAGE Coalition co-convenor Mike Defensor claimed the supposed case and attacks against the group, which he referred to as the "Brave 18," were part of a “state-sponsored” effort to suppress their testimony.
“In a blatant display of executive overreach, no less than Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla personally led attempts to physically bar the Marines from entering the Senate grounds to suppress their testimony,” the statement read.
The coalition said the alleged effort to silence the witnesses began as early as February when, according to the group, their claims were dismissed during Senate proceedings chaired by then Blue Ribbon Committee head Panfilo “Ping” Lacson.
Based on the witnesses' testimonies, they claimed to have served as bagmen for fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co, allegedly delivering luggage containing cash to various recipients, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former Speaker Martin Romualdez, between 2022 and 2025.
Lawmakers named in the allegations have denied the accusations, describing them as politically motivated.
RAGE also questioned the recent Senate leadership change that elevated Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore, claiming the move effectively halted the Cayetano-led Blue Ribbon proceedings just before the witnesses were scheduled to testify.
“They completely ignored the strict constitutional requirement of a true quorum and the mandatory 13 affirmative votes of the entire Senate membership required to change officers. This was an illegal maneuver executed solely to seize the Blue Ribbon Committee and control the narrative,” the coalition said.
The group reiterated its support for what it described as the “legitimate” Senate leadership under Cayetano.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) renewed its appeal to the media not to collectively refer to the 18 witnesses as “Marines” or “ex-Marines.”
AFP public affairs chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the individuals were no longer in active military service at the time of the alleged acts being discussed and that not all of them were former members of the Philippine Marine Corps.
“While some reports have collectively described them as ‘Marines’ or ‘ex-Marines,’ it is important to note that they were no longer in active military service at the time of the acts and allegations being discussed,” Trinidad said.
He urged the media to identify the individuals by their names or refer to them simply as witnesses to avoid implying institutional involvement by the AFP or the Philippine Marine Corps.