A man identifying himself as a former security aide to onetime Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co told journalists Friday that sums ranging from P20 million to P25 million had been dangled before members of his group in exchange for abandoning sworn statements that named senior figures in government, among them President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and ex-House Speaker Martin Romualdez, in connection with irregular flood control spending.
George Villanon Jr., part of the group known as the “maleta boys,” made the claim during an impromptu exchange with reporters. His remarks followed the decision of four fellow members to execute affidavits reversing their earlier account, with those four asserting that the contents of the sworn statement they had jointly submitted were false.
Pressed on the figure involved, Villanon put it at “P20 to 25 million per person,” though he stopped short of identifying the party he said was behind the offer. “Meron pong ino-offer sa amin para bumaliktad,” he said.
He rejected any suggestion that the wider group shared the inclination to walk back their testimony. “We remain steadfast in standing by the truth of our statements,” he said, directing pointed words at those who had signed the reversals: “Ang masasabi ko lang sa kasama ko, sana naisipan ninyo nang mabuti ‘yung sinasabi ninyo. Retired ka na Marines pero ano ang ginawa mo? Nagpadala ka sa pera.” He went further, accusing one of coordinating the switch: “Sana naisipan mong maigi yung kasama mo na nahikayat mo silang tatlo, na kayo ang nag-usap-usap na bumaligtad kayo.”
Attorney Levito Baligod, who represents all 18 men, addressed the matter separately the same day. He pushed back on an accusation raised by the four who recanted—that he had profited from his clients in the course of assembling their joint affidavit.
The group entered public view in February, when Baligod presented the 18 as former Marines who described themselves as couriers for Co, tasked with moving what they placed at P805 billion in alleged payoffs tied to questionable flood control contracts.
