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The NBI building in Manila as seen in an undated photo.
PIA / Handout
MANILA, Philippines — The 18 former Marines who alleged largescale cash deliveries to public officials have agreed to sit for individual interviews with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), their lawyer said.
Lawyer Levi Baligod said Tuesday, March 17, the former soldiers returned to the NBI to submit additional evidence related to the allegations contained in their joint affidavit filed with the Office of the Ombudsman in February.
"Last 12 March, yung sinasabi ni Director Matibag na 'di namin pinayagan ang one-on-one na pag tatanong, hindi totoo 'yon. Halos tatlong oras nga ang tanungan nila," Baligod said. (Last March 12, what Director Matibag said about us not allowing one-on-one questioning is not true. In fact, their questioning lasted for nearly three hours.)
"Yung sa 18 Marines, pumayag ako, kasi wala naman tayong itatago," he added. (Regarding the 18 Marines, I agreed, because we have nothing to hide.)
Scope of NBI probe questioned
Baligod said he raised concerns after NBI investigators indicated they would question the former Marines on the contents of their affidavits, beyond identity verification.
He said the NBI had been delegated authority by the Ombudsman to conduct identity verification.
"Sabi ko 'sandali lang, mukang lalagpas kayo sa binigay niyong authority…yung delegated authority,'" he said. (I said, "Wait a minute, it looks like you are going to exceed the authority given to you... the delegated authority.")
Baligod added that the NBI has not required the former Marines to submit individual affidavits.
"Hindi naman nirequire ng NBI 'yon eh, na magsubmit ng individual affidavit. Yung Ombudsman lang," he said. (The NBI didn't even require that—to submit individual affidavits. Only the Ombudsman did.)
Complaints filed. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier urged the former Marines to submit individual affidavits in connection with their allegations.
The group submitted a joint affidavit on February 26, which was later referred for investigation.
Following this, the Ombudsman delegated the investigation to the NBI, which issued subpoenas to the respondents.
Five individuals named in the affidavit have filed complaints for cyberlibel and perjury before the Department of Justice against Baligod, the 18 former Marines and former lawmaker Mike Defensor.
The former Marines alleged in their affidavit that they received paper bags or suitcases containing money from fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co.
