Trillanes says Baligod claims to be invoked by Rody’s lawyer
The allegations of a group of 18 former security personnel that $2 million exchanged hands to facilitate the investigation into the crimes against humanity case of former President Rodrigo Duterte aims to derail the ongoing hearing before the International Criminal Court, ex-senator Antonio Trillanes IV said.
“As for the allegation, its purpose is to tarnish the integrity of the ICC proceedings currently taking place in The Hague. The objective is to create doubt about the proceedings,” Trillanes said.
Based on the information he received, Trillanes said Duterte’s lead defense lawyer Nicholas Kaufman may invoke the allegation of a bribe offer to seek a mistrial of the ICC hearing.
“This didn’t happen randomly. Duterte’s camp is really behind this because they stand to benefit most from this. It was really set up to ignite certain emotions,” he said, adding that former lawmaker Mike Defensor was also part of the group.
Lawyer Levito Baligod and 18 ex-security officials of former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co earlier claimed they distributed some P805 billion to several officials, including about P115 million (about $2 million) to support the ongoing investigation of the ICC.
Baligod also claimed the ICC investigators exchanged cash amounting to $2 million in December 2023, and that Co and Trillanes funded the hotel accommodations of the ICC investigators.
As this developed, the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the ICC belied the allegations of Baligod’s group.
‘’OTP activities are funded through the Court’s budget approved by the ICC Assembly of States Parties and subject to established oversight mechanisms,’’ the OTP said in a statement sent to GMA Integrated News.
‘’The costs related to OTP prosecutions and investigations activities, including missions’ expenses are fully covered by this budget managed strictly by the Office in an independent and transparent manner, and in accordance with ICC financial rules and regulations,’’ it added.
In a separate statement sent to ABS-CBN News, the OTP said it “independently collects information relevant to its investigations, identifies the individuals from whom it collects witness statements, and assesses the credibility, reliability, and relevance of all sources of information it requests and receives.”
“It examines incriminating and exonerating evidence equally. The disclosure of information in the cases before the Court is strictly regulated by the ICC legal framework and under the control of independent ICC Judges.”
Baligod on Thursday admitted he made a mistake in naming Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima as among the recipients of suitcases filled with cash, saying it was an “error” on his part.
“I want to make it clear, at this point, it could be an oversight on my part that she was included in the list that created the impression that she also received suitcases filled with kickbacks,” he said in a radio interview.
De Lima was not yet a lawmaker when the alleged kickbacks from flood control projects supposedly changed hands.
“Whether it’s in a suitcase or a paper bag or whatever, it’s clearly just an invention. Their story immediately became complicated because of the open lies and insults to me again…Baligod is playing fast and loose with his license to practice law,” De Lima said.
“It is extremely laughable that they are making it appear that I was among those who received a suitcase,” she added.
The Palace yesterday also pushed back against Defensor, who claimed another batch of former soldiers is set to testify about an alleged multi-billion-peso bribery scheme.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro questioned Defensor’s motives, saying he has consistently called for the ouster of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“Mike Defensor, the known wonder boy. Many of his speeches urge our countrymen to remove our President from office. We already know the motive,” Castro said.
But for Vice President Sara Duterte, Co’s former security personnel have shown courage in speaking out.
In a statement, Duterte said she had long been aware of alleged links between some Philippine officials and ICC investigators involved in activities within the country.
“This issue is not political. It is not merely a personal feud. It concerns the fundamental principle of our national sovereignty and the boundaries of foreign institutions’ interference in our domestic affairs,” the Vice President said.
“Sovereignty is not a principle to be invoked when convenient and abandoned when expedient. Sovereignty should not depend on who benefits and should not shift with political winds,” she added.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested in Manila in March last year, flown to the Netherlands and has since been held at the ICC’s detention unit at Scheveningen Prison.
The first of three counts against Duterte concerns his alleged involvement as a co-perpetrator in 19 murders carried out between 2013 and 2016 while he was mayor of Davao City.
The second relates to 14 murders of so-called “High Value Targets” in 2016 and 2017 when he was president.
The third charge covers 43 murders committed during “clearance” operations of lower-level alleged drug users or pushers across the Philippines between 2016 and 2018.
