Maria Virginia Sy

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV arrives at the Department of Justice building in Manila on March 5, 2026. Trillanes filed criminal complaints against 18 “ex-Marines,” Atty. Levito Baligod, ex-Congressman Mike Defensor, Lorraine Badoy, and Cathy Binag over claims that he supposedly received $2 million intended for investigators of the International Criminal Court who are investigating the case filed against President Duterte.  Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

TRILLANES files perjury case 

Adrian Ayalin

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/177268707039220260305-trillanes-files-case-18-marines-baligod-JC3216.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV arrives at the Department of Justice building in Manila on March 5, 2026 to file criminal complaints against 18 “ex-Marines,” Atty. Levito Baligod, ex-Congressman Mike Defensor, Lorraine Badoy, and Cathy Binag over claims that he supposedly received $2 million intended for investigators of the International Criminal Court who are investigating the case filed against President Duterte.  <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA <strong>(2nd UPDATE) </strong>— Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday filed a perjury complaint at the Department of Justice (DOJ) against the 18 “ex-Marines&quot; over their claims that he supposedly received of $2 million intended for investigators of the International Criminal Court (ICC).</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/25/imee-seeks-probe-into-claims-by-ex-marines-who-say-they-were-zaldy-co-s-bagmen-1303">Imee seeks probe into claims by &#x27;ex-Marines&#x27; who say they were Zaldy Co&#x27;s bagmen</a></div><p>Trillanes also filed cyberlibel complaint and violation of Article 363 of the Revised Penal Code or Incriminating an Innocent Person, against the lawyer of the 18 individuals Levito Baligod, as well as former congressman Mike Defensor and internet personalities Jay Sonza, Lorraine Badoy, and Cathy Binag for defamatory statements they supposedly propagated online.</p><p>The 18 &quot;ex-Marines&quot; claimed to have acted as &quot;bagmen&quot; to deliver P805 billion to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., former House Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte, and former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/25/ph-navy-4-of-18-presented-as-bagmen-were-never-marines-0910">PH Navy: 4 of 18 presented as ‘bagmen’ were never Marines</a></div><p>The former soldiers also claimed to have delivered money to Trillanes and to staff of the ICC, where former President Rodrigo Duterte is facing crimes against humanity case at The Hague in the Netherlands.</p><p>“Hindi po totoo yan, wala akong natanggap na 2 million dollars o kahit anumang halaga mula kay Zaldy Co para sa ICC operations, so itong ginawa nila ay paninira lang hindi lang sa akin kung hindi doon din sa mga imbestigador ng ICC to cast doubt doon sa integrity ng ICC investigations,” Trillanes said Thursday after filing his complaints.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BACKED BY DUTERTE CAMP?</strong></div><p>Trillanes noted that even if he admitted hosting ICC personnel, there was nothing illegal in his act.</p><p>Trillanes also asserted that the Duterte camp is behind the false statements made by the 18 individuals, purportedly to be used as propaganda material in favor of former President Duterte, who is facing crimes against humanity cases before the ICC.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/5/sara-duterte-slams-deafening-silence-on-ex-marines-bribery-claims-1145">Sara Duterte slams ‘deafening silence’ on ex-Marines’ bribery claims</a></div><p>“Ang nasa likod nitong pagkilos nila na iyan ay ang Duterte camp, so marami pang on-going iyong imbestigasyon ngayon at marami tayong nalalaman, at kinalaunan, eto sasabihin ko sa inyo, ilan diyan sa 18 ex-soldiers na iyan ay aamin kung sino talaga ang nasa likod nito, anong plano nila,” Trillanes said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DEFENSOR: INCLUSION IN COMPLAINT AN ‘HONOR&#x27;</strong></div><p>Defensor meanwhile said it was an honor to be included in criminal complaints filed by several personalities tagged by the 18 former &quot;Marines.&quot;</p><p>“Isang malaking karangalan na mapasama sa kaso kasama sila,” Defensor said.</p><p>Aside from Trillanes, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año also filed a separate criminal complaints against Defensor and the 18 “ex-soldiers.” </p><p>Defensor also shielded the 18 ex-Marines from the complaints, stressing his trust to their credibility.</p><p>Defensor urged Año and Trillanes to seek the truth and not harass the soldiers.</p><p>“Handa kong tulungan sila, handa akong humarap sa kaso. At muli, karangalan kong makasama ang matatapang at makabayan nating sundalo,” Defensor said.</p><p>Badoy also said it is an honor to stand with the former soldiers.</p><p>&quot;It is my honor to be standing alongside our courageous heroes who have remained true to their calling as warriors and true sons of the Republic,&quot; Badoy said. &quot;They are the truest of soldiers- defenders of our people and our Nation- something of which Trillanes  has no idea about - not even by a million miles.&quot; </p><p>Meantime, one of the “ex-soldiers,” Rosebert Waupan, said they can respond to Trillanes’ perjury complaint.<strong> </strong><strong>—With reports from Michael Joe Delizo, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9I8IEvSfm5Y?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday filed criminal complaints at the DOJ against the 18 “ex-Marines," their lawyer Levito Baligod over their claims that he supposedly received of $2 million intended for ICC investigators.</p>

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday filed criminal complaints at the DOJ against the 18 “ex-Marines," their lawyer Levito Baligod over their claims that he supposedly received of $2 million intended for ICC investigators.

Trillanes files criminal raps vs 18 'ex-Marines,' Badoy, others over ICC payola claims

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Trillanes files criminal raps vs 18 'ex-Marines,' Badoy, others over ICC payola claims

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 05, 2026 11:48 AM PHT

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Updated March 05, 2026 05:41 PM PHT

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