18 things to know about the 18 Filipino 'ex-Marines' who accused Marcos Jr of massive flood-control kickbacks scam
Navy debunks claims of 18 'ex-Marines' pinning Marcos as the brains behind mega- kickbacks
Manila: The Philippine Navy has discredited claims by 18 self-declared "ex-Marines" who emerged from the shadows alleging their involvement in the delivery of ₱805 billion ($13.9-billion) worth of kickbacks from ghost flood defences to senior officials.
The 18 men, through their lawyer, dropped a bombshell tagging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr himself as the brains behind the mega kickbacks scam:
On February 24, 2026, a group of 18 Filipino men claiming to be former Philippine Marines held a press event accusing high-level officials of involvement in an alleged kickbacks scam.
They claimed they delivered bags and suitcases full of cash tied to a supposedly ₱805 billion ($13.9 billion) corruption scheme involving government flood control projects.
The group was presented by lawyer Levito “Levi” Baligod, a veteran whistleblower who says the men were once security personnel for disgraced ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co.
They alleged that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. was the “brain” behind the operation, with cash deliveries allegedly made to his residence and allies’.
Among those named were former House Speaker Martin Romualdez (the President’s cousin), Co, and other senior officials.
The group says money was delivered from 2022 to 2025 — claiming as many as four deliveries per week.
They claimed funds went not just to politicians but also to bribe International Criminal Court (ICC) investigators visiting the Philippines — an allegation widely ridiculed because ICC funding comes from member states.
However, on February 25, 2026, the Philippine Navy publicly challenged the group’s claims.
The Navy said four of the 18 were never members of the Navy or Marine Corps at all. It added that the majority of the rest were dishonourably discharged — the military’s harshest penalty — with only a few retiring honourably.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said no military security detail was ever assigned to Zaldy Co, and that most were already out of service during the alleged events.
The men’s affidavits have not been independently verified or released publicly beyond Baligod’s statements.
Malacañang (the presidential palace) dismissed the claims as a “lousy script,” saying they were baseless and poorly substantiated.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año labelled the allegations “malicious, false and fabricated,” rejecting claims he personally received any cash.
Senator Imee Marcos (the President’s sister) urged the group to present credible evidence with courage rather than seek publicity.
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson described aspects of the claims as questionable and raised concerns the narrative could be politically motivated to destabilise the government as it was made on the eve of the 40th EDSA "People Power" Revolution anniversary.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has begun probing the controversy and is verifying the men’s identities and claims. Meanwhile, the group has submitted their notarised affidavits to the Office of the Ombudsman, hoping it will prompt formal charges under anti-graft laws.
The media stunt is emblematic of the mudslinging between Marcos and Duterte dynasties, marked by misinformation, disinformation and destabilisation.
The Philippine Navy's bombshell statement issued on Wednesday (February 25) has ignited the latest front in the fierce corruption saga gripping the nation's politics, pitting the Marcos and Duterte dynasties in a blistering war of narratives.
Background
The Navy revealed that four of the 18 were never in the service — and most others dishonourably discharged.
The military, meanwhile, urged legal processes over media stunts.
Navy spokesperson Capt. Marissa Martinez announced the findings after reviewing official records prompted by Tuesday's press conference in San Juan, led by lawyer Levito “Levi” Baligod, representing the 18.
“Based on official records, four were never members of the Philippine Navy or the Philippine Marine Corps,” Martinez stated.
The Philippine Marine Corps is a force under the command of the Philippine Navy.
Timing questioned
The 18 "ex-Marines" went public on Tuesday (February 24, 2026), the eve of the 40th "EDSA Revolution" anniversary (February 25), remembered here as the day when the 21-year regime of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., father of the current president, was toppled in a civilian-backed military coup.
The self-proclaimed ex-soldiers' bombshell exposing alleged cash deliveries to top officials was framed as their "last act of service" to the nation.
Specifically, they accused President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the president's cousin, and fugivite ex-congressman Representative Zaldy Co, ex-chair of the powerful House Appropriations committe, as recipients of the piles of cash which the ex-military men claimed to have delivered to designated drop-off points linked to the officials.
The ex-personnel claimed to have served as "security" for Zaldy Co, a construction magnate linked to multi-billion-peso ghost projects, through which Filipino taxpayers' money was siphoned off.
Amid the probe, Co fled the country for Europe after he allegedly bought a Portuguese passport.
The NBI requested an Interpol Red Rotice against Co, who is facing arrest warrants from the Sandiganbayan for graft and corruption, among others.
Co, in a video from an unknown location, pinned down Marcos Jr as the brain behind the scam.
Capt. Martinez noted that a “majority” of the 18 self-proclaimed "ex-Marines" faced dishonourable discharges — the military's harshest penalty, akin to a felony conviction for grave offenses like treason, murder, rape, or desertion, stripping all benefits including pensions.
Some retired honourably, while two non-Navy names were listed as ex-Army personnel, though this needs Army verification.
Orly Guteza, another mentioned as an ex-Marine Staff Sergeant, retired in June 2020. Guteza, in his original affidavit (later discredited for brearing a fake notary), accused Romualdez, but not Marcos Jr.
On February 24, Baligod made a bombshell accusation against Marcos Jr. and several lawmakers and officials for allegedly orchestrating the multi-billion budget kickbacks scheme.
On Thursday (Feb. 26), Baligod said he may erred by including ML Party-list Rep. Leila De Lima, a former justice secretary jailed for seven years under Duterte, on trumped-up drug charges.
Baligod made the admission during interview with local radio True FM (Ted Failon & DJ Chacha).
Some officials (e.g., Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong) called the claims "rubbish," citing the unsigned affidavits, timing as suspicious.
Malacañang reportedly slammed it as "lousy scriptwriting", while the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has ordered an investigation into the exposé.
Bribe for ICC investigators
A more damning allegation made by Baligod & the 18 men: that Manila allegedly took some of the scam funds to bribe members of the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigating team during their visit to the Philippines to probe the Duterte drugs war.
The group allegedly delivered $2 million to ICC investigators, through former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who denied it and vowed cyberlibel suits.
“The Philippine Navy respects and adheres to constitutional processes, including judicial and legislative inquiries,” Capt. Martinez emphasised.
“The Navy does not and will never prevent any individual from testifying the truth.”
She urged caution against social media misinformation and disinformation.
The testimonies presented by the 18 amounted to a demolition job to collectively discredit the ICC, the government under Marcos Jr probing the scam, potentially benefitting the Duterte camp.
Baligod presented the 18 on the eve of the 40th EDSA Revolution anniversary and amid the on-going presentation of evidence against former President Rodrigo Duterte at the ICC.
Grandstanding, media manipulation
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) echoed the Navy's statement, calling the claims unverified and warning against "grandstanding and the manipulative use of legitimate media to spread unverified claims that may contribute to disinformation."
The Navy reaffirmed its role as a “professional, disciplined and non-partisan organisation,” focused on sovereignty defence without compromising integrity.
Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson flagged what he sees as a deliberate bid to "destabilise" the government amid fresh allegations by the 18 ex-Marines linking Marcos Jr. to the kickbacks scheme.
“It looks like there’s a political color to it — not just political color, but it seems like there’s also a destabilisation aspect,” Lacson said in Filipino during a Wednesday Senate interview.
Lacson's remarks amplify fears of orchestrated chaos, blending historical anniversaries with ICC drama to erode Marcos' administration. As midterm elections loom, such narratives risk fracturing alliances and sparking unrest.
On Thursday, Lacson, who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, ordered a record verification on the 18 men, adding the Senate must first validate the sources and test the credibility of their affidavits before any full blown inquiry can move forward.
Previously, there have been disputes about Guteza's notarisation.
The Navy's challenge to the 18 men — and the validation of their status (or lack of it) by the Senate — could pose a direct bearing on their affidavit’s credibility.
