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Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla talks to reporters, October 9, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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OMBUDSMAN

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177243562336720251009-ombudsman-remulla-MT16 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla talks to reporters, October 9, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday confirmed a meeting with staff from the International Criminal Court (ICC), following a statement made by 18 supposed former Marine personnel. </p><p>In a joint affidavit referred to the Office of the Ombudsman last week, lawyer Levi Baligod and the 18 individuals said Remulla had meetings with ICC personnel when he was justice secretary. Baligod claimed Remulla committed “undue damage” to the government, adding that conspiracy and collusion with the ICC was a “possibility.”</p><p>In a chance interview, Remulla said, “Sinabi ko nakausap ko. Ano ngayon?”</p><p>“Tapos na ata yung pangyayari nun, nung kinakausap namin – 2025 yun nung kinausap namin. After March. Wala pang isang taon yun, sigurado ako,” he said, when asked if it happened after the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte. </p><p>“Kailangan protektahan natin ang ating mga testigo pero ang mas mahalaga diyan yung allegations na ginawa nila na iba. Kasi kung 18 sila na nandoon na magkakasama ng 2 taon na walang patid, na lahat ng pangyayari nakita nila, yun ang ating gustong malaman,” he said. </p><p>Remulla said he wanted to get the individual affidavits of the 18 Marines. </p><p>“I want to get the individual affidavits of each of them. The allegations are serious. Kahit kasama ako diyan,” he said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/26/ombudsman-to-carefully-assess-18-ex-soldiers-affidavit-credibility-of-evidence-2102">Ombudsman to ‘carefully assess’ 18 ex-soldiers&#x27; affidavit, credibility of evidence</a></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1254715042652253%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Baligod had claimed the 18 individuals had served as “bagmen” for kickbacks from anomalous infrastructure projects. He said the group was also instructed to hand $2 million in cash to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV supposedly intended to bribe the ICC. </p><p>Trillanes, who filed the ICC supplemental complaint against then-President Rodrigo Duterte in 2017,<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/26/trillanes-denies-2-million-bribe-to-icc-judges-1013"> denied the allegations.</a></p><p>Last week, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) pushed back against allegations regarding &quot;collusion&quot; and &quot;conspiracy&quot; with the Philippine government. It <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/26/icc-prosecution-rejects-claims-of-improper-influence-stresses-independence-1602">said its investigations are conducted independently</a> and are guided by strict evidentiary standards under the court’s legal framework.</p><p>The Philippine Navy later clarified <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/25/ph-navy-4-of-18-presented-as-bagmen-were-never-marines-0910">4 of the 18 individuals were never part of the service</a> and the majority of those who made the allegations were dishonorably discharged. </p><p>In an interview on ANC in early February, lawyer Ruben Carranza of the International Center for Transitional Justice said the country should work with the ICC despite the Philippines&#x27; withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019.</p><p>According to some analysts, meanwhile, there is no Philippine law that would prohibit the country from working with the ICC. </p><p>Malacanang has also said the Philippines is obliged to implement arrest warrants from the ICC. </p><div><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9I8IEvSfm5Y" title="FULL: Trillanes on accusations of 18 &#x27;ex-Marines,&#x27; ICC payoff, 2028 polls | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/INxh5ovs8VU" title="Lacson lists &#x27;questionable&#x27; claims of 18 &#x27;ex-Marines&#x27; who alleged delivering cash to ICC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday confirmed a meeting with staff from the International Criminal Court (ICC), following a statement made by 18 supposed former Marine personnel.</p>

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday confirmed a meeting with staff from the International Criminal Court (ICC), following a statement made by 18 supposed former Marine personnel.

Ombudsman Remulla confirms meeting with ICC staff

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Ombudsman Remulla confirms meeting with ICC staff

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 02, 2026 03:18 PM PHT

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Updated March 02, 2026 04:44 PM PHT

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Ombudsman

18 marines

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