Politics

Trillanes Fires Back — Files Criminal Charges Against Baligod and 18 Ex-Marines Over ICC Bribery Claims

Tabloid PH Newsdesk

Mar 6, 2026 — 1 min read

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV took the legal offensive on Thursday, filing criminal complaints against lawyer Levito Baligod, 18 former marines, and several pro-Duterte personalities for cyber libel and perjury. The charges stem from allegations that Trillanes accepted $2 million to bribe International Criminal Court (ICC) investigators to ensure the prosecution of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Trillanes has long denied the accusation, and he's now putting his money where his mouth is by dragging his accusers to the Department of Justice. He wasn't alone — National Security Adviser Eduardo Año filed his own criminal complaints against the same group, calling the allegations against him 'malicious imputations' and fabricated stories.

The ex-marines and their allies had claimed they personally delivered money in suitcases to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his allies in Congress. They also alleged connections between the cash deliveries and ICC proceedings against the elder Duterte. The allegations made national headlines and rattled the political landscape.

Former Armed Forces chief Hermogenes Esperon showed his support for the 18 ex-marines during a gathering in Pasig on the same day, signaling that this dispute has powerful backers on both sides. The political fault lines remain sharp, with pro-Duterte and pro-administration factions clashing over credibility and accountability.

With the DOJ now handling multiple complaints from both camps, this saga is far from over. The legal battle could drag on for months, with both sides presenting witnesses and evidence to prove — or disprove — whether billions of pesos really changed hands in a shadowy bribery scheme involving international justice.

Source: The Manila Times

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