Atty. Levi Baligod admitted that he made an error when he included Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima among lawmakers he earlier claimed had received money deliveries. Speaking on the program “Ted Failon and DJ Chacha,” Baligod said De Lima’s inclusion in his list of alleged recipients was a mistake on his part.
“Pero ang binabanggit kasi nila noon, nakakasama siya sa mga meeting patungkol sa ICC, kaya nilagay ko na lamang siya sa mga miyembro ng Congress. Pupuwede pong error ‘yon on my part,” Baligod said. He clarified that, contrary to claims involving suitcases of cash, De Lima was allegedly given a paper bag that may have contained between P5 million and P10 million. De Lima was elected to Congress in the 2025 midterm elections.
The statement comes days after Baligod publicly presented accusations involving 18 individuals he identified as former members of the Philippine Marine Corps, alleging they delivered cash amounting to roughly ₱805 billion to various officials. He claimed the money was sourced from kickbacks tied to flood control projects and named several high-profile political figures, including President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Baligod has said he began discussions with the supposed witnesses in October 2025 and spent months reviewing their accounts before disclosing the allegations in news reports published February 24–25, 2026.
Malacañang rejected the accusations on February 25, 2026, calling the narrative fabricated and denying any link to the President. The Philippine Navy also stated that at least four of the individuals presented were never Marines. Some lawmakers, including Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, urged Baligod and the men he introduced to execute sworn statements to support their claims. Senator Imee Marcos, for her part, sought an inquiry into the matter.
