Atty. Levito Baligod, counsel for the 18 ex‑Marines whose testimony is central to the flood‑control probe, revealed that the 14 witnesses were “angered” by the four who chose to recant against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Asked in an interview with Abante about their reaction, Baligod was blunt: “So far ay galit sila.”
For months, the 18 men stood united in one of the Philippines’ largest corruption scandals. They endured withdrawn Senate invitations, dueling committee hearings led by rival blocs, and what Baligod described as bribery attempts and threats. This week, that unity showed its first cracks in what appears to be Romualdez’s camp trying to smear and derail the Ombudsman’s investigation.
In their recantation, the four claimed they were “pressured” by Ombudsman investigators to testify against Romualdez, alleging they were forced to sign pre‑written affidavits and threatened with multiple cases if they refused. The men said they had been promised financial assistance—enough to avoid working for two years.
However, Ombudsman insiders flatly rejected the tale, telling PGMN the investigators are “kind young women” and blasting the accusations as “ridiculous.”
The pattern echoes what ex‑congressman Mike Defensor — an ally of all 18 Marines — told PGMN before his jailing: Romualdez’s camp had already dangled ₱5 million per Marine to withdraw their statements. Now, George Villalon Jr., one of the eight former Marines whose testimony was used by the Ombudsman in its flood‑control corruption probe, revealed on Friday that his fellow Marines are being offered ₱20 million to ₱25 million each to switch sides — a staggering jump from the earlier offers.
Now, as the Ombudsman probe intensifies—reinforced by President Bongbong Marcos‘ State of the Nation Address announcing the Ombudsman was close to filing cases against Romualdez—it appears the ex‑House Speaker’s camp has escalated its offers even further.
One of the four ex-Marines who recanted admitted to Baligod that he was “tempted” by offers to withdraw his testimony-and apologized to Baligod before ultimately giving in.
The Ombudsman has branded Romualdez the “master plunderer.” The Sandiganbayan has called him the “purported mastermind” of billions in stolen wealth. The Assistant Ombudsman has named him the “central figure” in the flood‑control scandal.
Corruption has always been the Philippines’ greatest plague—and Romualdez is universally recognized as the most corrupt Filipino politician of the 21st century.
