PUBLIC-interest lawyer Atty. Dino de Leon, convenor of civil society initiative Team Pinas, questioned on Saturday the credibility of the individuals who testified at the supposed Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the flood control scandal, arguing that they are being used as a political tool to undermine accountability efforts and discredit personalities associated with the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte.
Speaking at the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City, De Leon said the credibility of the so-called “18 ex-Marines” is already doubtful given questions surrounding their backgrounds and service records.
“I don’t even want to label them 18 Marines, 18 bodyguards. Di nga natin alam kung ano ba talaga sila. Una, a lot of them, at least four of them, wala talagang track record of service sa ating Sandatahang Lakas. Pangalawa, some of them were dishonorably discharged by the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” De Leon said.
“So doon pa lang sa kasinungalingan na lahat sila mga Marines, para bang naninilbihan sa bayan, medyo iffy na tayo doon. Doubtful na tayo doon sa credibility nila,” he added.
The resource persons appeared before a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing convened by allies of recently ousted Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and accused several lawmakers, House prosecutors, and public figures of receiving kickbacks from flood control projects.
However, De Leon said the allegations quickly unravel when examined closely, particularly claims involving hundreds of billions of pesos allegedly being moved in cash. The 18 former members of the Marines claimed on Thursday they had delivered roughly P805 billion in cash to lawmakers.
Their legal counsel, Atty. Levito Baligod, was also given the opportunity to speak on behalf of his clients with uncertainty as to how much funds were allegedly delivered. De Leon also found this questionable when lawyers of resource persons or witnesses are typically not allowed to testify during congressional probes.
“It is really mathematically, logistically impossible,” he said.
“Tandaan po natin, ang cash minomonitor hindi lang ng Philippine government but ng international community. So walang nagsalita sa buong mundo na truck-truck-truck ng pera? Bilyon-bilyon hanggang 800-plus metric tons ang pinag-uusapan nating pera. It just doesn’t make sense,” he said.
He also pointed to what he described as glaring inconsistencies in the testimonies, particularly the inclusion of individuals whose alleged involvement he said strains credibility. Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon and ML Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, both House prosecutors, were not elected lawmakers yet during the period the ex-Marines claimed to have delivered kickbacks.
“It’s a clear case of discrediting credible people dahil nauuna sila sa kritisismo dito sa mga Duterte,” De Leon said.
De Leon likewise questioned why some names allegedly mentioned by the witnesses were not receiving the same attention as those connected to the impeachment proceedings. These included Sen. Loren Legarda and Sen. Mark Villar.
As an experienced litigator, he also criticized the manner in which the hearing was conducted, arguing that portions of the questioning appeared to guide witnesses toward particular answers.
“Mas kabisado pa ni Rodante Marcoleta yung testimonya nung mga ex-Marines o ex-bodyguards kaysa sa kanila mismo,” he said.
“Alam naming mga abogado ‘yan na hindi puwedeng leading questions ang pagtatanong mo kasi it lessens credibility. Para kang tinuturuan on the spot. Rehearsed na nga, kino-coach pa,” he added.
According to De Leon, the timing of the hearing is simply difficult to ignore given that the Senate impeachment court is expected to proceed with the trial of the vice president in July.
“Bakit ginagawa at bakit tinatawag ang supposed Blue Ribbon hearing na iyan? Bakit sila nagmamadali?” he asked. “Kasi alam nila this will not stand in court.”
He argued that the hearing served a political purpose rather than an investigative one, saying that the Cayetano-led bloc needed a venue where they could attempt to legitimize the questionable testimonies of the ex-Marines to pollute the minds of the Filipino people and divert attention from the more pressing issues.
“The real issue here is that the Senate institution is not performing because of what’s happening. Again, this is an attempt to block accountability in so far as the impeachment is concerned, in so far as Sara Duterte is concerned,” he said.
“So inherently, nagkakabuhol buhol ang mga kwento, hindi malinaw, talagang halata nagsinungaling, rehearsed, walang credibility ‘yung mga witnesses and this just a clear attempt to divert us from the real issues,” he added.
De Leon described the witnesses as being used as political instruments to attack critics of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his allies.
“They will be using people with no credibility whatsoever as a weapon, as a political tool, para ma-tarnish ang reputation ng mga taong lumalaban kay Rodrigo Duterte,” he added.
Drawing parallels with past controversies, De Leon pointed out that Filipinos have seen similar tactics before, where questionable witnesses were elevated to attack public officials and government critics such as De Lima when she was wrongly accused of being involved in the illegal drug trade.
“What’s certain is binibigyan natin sila ng absolute kapangyarihan para siraan ang matitinong lingkod-bayan natin,” he said.
“Ang mayroon lamang sila, laway. Laway at picture sometimes na nagpapicture sila sa isang public space,” he added.
De Leon warned the so-called 18 Marines are being used for others’ political gain while they already face perjury and libel cases.
“Ang challenge ko naman doon sa 18 sinungalings no, ang problema po kasi, ginagamit po kayo. Ang question is, hanggang saan po kayo gusto magpagamit kasi alam niyo po, may kaso na po tayo ah. Nakasuhan na po kayo. Ilan na po diyan sa perjury po at pagsisinungaling ninyo and online cyberlibel ninyo,” he said
“Kayo ang makakasuhan nang personal, pero nagpapagamit kayo kina Alan Peter, kayla Rodante Marcoleta, pero kayo po nakakasuhan,” he added, stressing that these cases will haunt them and their families.
He then urged the public to scrutinize the allegations carefully and not allow unsubstantiated claims to derail legitimate accountability mechanisms.
“So let’s not make incredible sinungalings so powerful to the point that they’re being weaponized to hold hostage our serious and honest lingkod-bayans,” de Leon said.
