Camille Naredo

Lawyer Levito “Levi” Baligod, accompanied by his legal team, files a formal complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday, February 26, following allegations from active and retired Marines that certain congresswomen received unlawfully obtained government funds. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Lawyer Levito “Levi” Baligod, accompanied by his legal team, files a formal complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday, February 26, following allegations from active and retired Marines that certain congresswomen received unlawfully obtained government funds. Baligod calls for a thorough investigation and the filing of appropriate charges should sufficient evidence be established.
Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

OMBUDSMAN- LEVI BALIGOD

Eon Sanchez

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/178614104203420260226-ombudsman-baligod-MT9.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Lawyer Levito “Levi” Baligod, accompanied by his legal team, files a formal complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday, February 26, following allegations from active and retired Marines that certain congresswomen received unlawfully obtained government funds. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Lawyer Levito “Levi” Baligod, accompanied by his legal team, files a formal complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday, February 26, following allegations from active and retired Marines that certain congresswomen received unlawfully obtained government funds. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- The legal counsel and several supporters of the 10 arrested bodyguards, popularly referred to as the &quot;Maleta Boys,&quot; stayed overnight outside the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court (RTC) as they waited for the resumption of bail processing Saturday morning.</p><p>Their counsel, lawyer Levito Baligod, earlier confirmed that four of the original 18 complainants had recanted their allegations.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/7/baligod-shoulders-over-p1-million-bail-for-maleta-boys-facing-perjury-cyber-libel-cases-1644">READ: Baligod shoulders over P1-million bail for &#x27;Maleta Boys&#x27; facing perjury, cyber libel cases</a></div><p>Of the remaining 14, only 13 appeared before the Las Piñas RTC Branch 202 on Friday to post bail. One of the accused was in the province attending the funeral of a loved one.</p><p>According to Lt. Col. Teoson Rosarito, Las Piñas Police assistant chief for operations, only three of the 13—Rommel Bobares, Johnny Buduan, and Rodante Orbillio—were able to post bail before bank transactions closed at 3 p.m.</p><p>The remaining 10 were arrested and brought to the Las Piñas Police Station, located beside the RTC, after failing to complete the bail process before the bank&#x27;s cutoff.</p><p>As of 1 a.m. Saturday, Baligod said they had failed to post bail after finding no available RTC night court in Metro Manila.</p><p>&quot;Wala na palang night court na court. Sa Pasay, MTC lang ang available so mababang jurisdiction. Yung RTC, wala na,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Pumunta kami sa Manila, wala na rin yung night court doon so ang pag-asa na lang is tomorrow (Saturday, August 8) kasi pinuntahan namin yung tatlo: Makati, Pasay, Manila. Lahat ng night court na RTC, wala,&quot; he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BAIL PROCESSING RESUMES SATURDAY</strong></div><p>Baligod said they would return at 8 a.m. Saturday to submit the required documents and may file the bail application in Las Piñas, Makati, or Pasay.</p><p>&quot;8 o&#x27;clock in the morning, i-su-submit namin kaagad yung mga dokumento. Pwede sa Makati, pwede sa Pasay, pwede rin dito,&quot; Baligod said.</p><p>According to Baligod, the documents include proof of residency, a barangay certificate, and a sketch of the accused&#x27;s residence signed by the barangay captain.</p><p>He also stressed that an accused person may post bail in another court even if the case is pending elsewhere.</p><p>&quot;Pwede. Pwede iyon. Sabi ko nga, kahit nasa Tawi-Tawi ka, kung ang kaso mo dito sa Las Piñas, pwede kang magpiyansa sa Tawi-Tawi.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/29/doj-18-maleta-boys-to-be-charged-with-10-cyberlibel-perjury-cases-1410">READ: 18 &#x27;Maleta Boys&#x27; charged with 10 cyberlibel, perjury cases ‒ DOJ</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>QUESTIONS ON LAS PIÑAS COURT PROCESS</strong></div><p>Baligod questioned the processing of the bail requirements in Las Piñas, saying the same set of documents had already been accepted in Caloocan, San Juan, and Muntinlupa, where some of the accused had earlier posted bail.</p><p>&quot;The same set of documents na naka-base lahat naman yung requirements sa Rules of Court. Noong sinubmit namin dito, ang dami nang hinahanap na nawawala daw. E bakit kami pumasa sa Caloocan? San Juan? Muntinlupa?&quot; he said.</p><p>He also questioned the reported requirement for a Certificate of Detention despite the accused having voluntarily surrendered.</p><p>&quot;Nagvoluntary surrender sila sa korte mismo, hinahanapan ng Certificate of Detention. E contradictory yun,&quot; said Baligod.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/7/10-maleta-boys-arrested-after-failing-to-post-bail-2041">READ: 10 &#x27;maleta boys&#x27; arrested after failing to post bail</a></div><p>Baligod said the delay meant the 10 bodyguards would remain in detention overnight. He noted that the recommended bail is ₱18,000 for each count, with four counts filed against each accused.</p><p>When asked if he considered the developments as harassment against their camp, Baligod instead blamed what he described as the improper handling of the bail process.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s incompetence and even ignorance of the law because… this is about liberty. Ang liberty is one of the constitutional bill of rights natin,&quot; he said.</p><p>Baligod thanked members of the public who donated money to help post bail for the accused.</p><p>&quot;Marami tayong kababayan na nagcontribute… Meron ding OFW na nagpadala ng P30,000,&quot; he revealed.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>OMBUDSMAN INVESTIGATION</strong></div><p>Baligod maintained that the Office of the Ombudsman had conducted a thorough factual investigation before pursuing the perjury cases, saying eight lawyers separately examined each complainant under the supervision of an assistant ombudsman and a chief of the Field Investigation Bureau.</p><p>He added that investigators also conducted a walkthrough inside Forbes Park, where the complainants allegedly identified locations connected to their statements.</p><p>Baligod said he was not among those charged because he did not sign the affidavits being questioned.</p><p>On the four complainants who recanted their allegations, Baligod claimed they had long been subjected to intimidation and repeated offers of money to withdraw their statements.</p><p>&quot;Una, P5 million ang offer. Naging P8 million. Naging P10 million hanggang umabot na nga ng P25 million,&quot; said Baligod.</p><p>He claimed the four had informed him before withdrawing their allegations, but he advised them to carefully think about their decision.</p><p>Baligod also said the 10 detained bodyguards were disappointed by the recantations.</p><p>He added that he no longer considered the four reliable witnesses because of their conflicting statements, while noting that courts generally view recantations with caution.</p><p>Baligod further alleged that individuals he identified, along with two retired police generals whom he did not name, were among those who persuaded the four complainants to recant.</p><p>&quot;May mga binabanggit ang mga tao na ito na naguutos din sa kanila. Umabot ito sa isang mataas na retired general. Actually, dalawa pala. Yung retired generals na yan ay parehong pinamunuan nila noon ang CIDG ng PNP. Sa ngayon, hindi ko muna mabanggit ang kanilang pangalan dahil hindi ko rin alam ang motibo nila kung bakit kailangan nilang suhulan ang mga ito,&quot; Baligod said.</p><p>He said those allegedly involved &quot;may be liable for obstruction of justice.&quot;</p>

<p>The legal counsel and several supporters of the 10 arrested bodyguards, popularly referred to as the "Maleta Boys," stayed overnight outside the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court as they waited for the resumption of bail processing Saturday morning.</p>

The legal counsel and several supporters of the 10 arrested bodyguards, popularly referred to as the "Maleta Boys," stayed overnight outside the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court as they waited for the resumption of bail processing Saturday morning.

Bank cutoff, lack of night court delay bail for 10 'Maleta Boys'

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Bank cutoff, lack of night court delay bail for 10 'Maleta Boys'

Eon Sanchez,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 08, 2026 06:26 AM PHT

Read More:

Maleta Boys

Las Piñas City

Bail

Levito Baligod

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