The real reason for the May 11 Senate revolt: The 18 soldiers’ testimony

First of three parts

THIS has never happened before in our history: 18 former Marines and Philippine Army soldiers — more than a dozen whistleblowers — claimed they were ordered to deliver hundreds of millions of pesos in graft money in suitcases to legislators and government officials, including to a priest who has been undertaking an intense propaganda campaign against former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

The most explosive claim, by one former Marine in Paragraph 45 of the affidavit:

“I was included by Zaldy Co in a delivery of five (5) large suitcases to the house of Bongbong Marcos and Liza Marcos in Ilocos Norte. Sandro Marcos was at the house at the time and received them, and a few hours later BBM and Liza Marcos also arrived. We used an airplane branded. We landed in Laoag City and then traveled by land to their house. We stayed overnight there, and I have photos with Bongbong Marcos and Sandro Marcos inside the house.”

They also claimed that International Criminal Court (ICC) investigators had met with Antonio Trillanes and former House speaker Martin Romuladez, and former congressman Zaldy Co, who paid for their hotel accommodations. This is not hearsay; the soldiers themselves carried these suitcases and escorted the ICC people.

This has never happened before: The soldiers’ affidavit includes 30 photographs of the cash being counted and the suitcases being loaded in a helicopter and a plane owned by former congressman Zaldy Co (former speaker Martin Romualdez’s deputy) and, in one instance, being received in the residence of one official (Rep. Stella Quimbo).

This affidavit has been submitted to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and is therefore a public document. Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano has alleged that former Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Panfilo Lacson had refused to hear the ex-soldiers’ testimonies. Indeed, Lacson had said that he had to investigate first the background of each of the ex-soldiers.

This is the real reason why 13 bold senators (less one later) refused to be Marcos’ minions and removed Tito Sotto as Senate president and Lacson as the Blue Ribbon Committee chair last May 11. It was not, as Marcos’ minions claim, in order to stop the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. Even the most rabid Duterte-basher now concedes that that evil project is dead in the water: As the Senate revolt clearly showed, it will never get the needed 16 votes to convict her.

I am posting the affidavit (in English as translated by an artificial intelligence assistant) in my column in two parts, for Filipinos themselves to decide whether it is credible or not. I will, however, analyze in the third part of this series the credibility of these soldiers’ claims.

I have also posted the affidavit in my website rigobertotiglao.com

This has never happened before. If we had a free or bold media, they would have published it as soon as it was submitted to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

18 soldiers’ affidavit Opening Statement

I. Preliminary Statement.

1. We were formerly employees of former congressman Elizalde S. Co. Some of us stopped working on December 31, 2025, while others stopped on January 18, 2026. We were verbally informed that we had been dismissed from our jobs.

2. We worked for ZALDY CO and his family as personal assistants/security consultants. Some of us were assigned to Zaldy S. Co, his wife Mylene Recinto Co, and their children.

3. Our work included escorting his trusted executive assistants in delivering money, namely John Paul Estrada, Mark Ticsay, Joshua Cano, John Kerby Pajarillaga, Rolando Supat, Atty. Samuel Buenviaje and Aries Ganggob.

4. The receiving point for the money was Zaldy Co’s house in Valle Verde 6, Pasig City, where the accounting of money coming from various persons such as Congressman Erwin Gardiola was done before we brought it to Unit 56 CD, The Horizon Homes, Shangri-La BGC, Taguig City.

5. We often saw the money being counted before being placed into different kinds of containers. Depending on the amount being sent, it was placed into containers of different sizes: large suitcases (which could hold 50 to 70 million pesos), medium suitcases (30 to 40 million pesos), small suitcases (15 to 25 million pesos), paper bags (5 to 10 million pesos), and expandable envelopes (2 million pesos). When suitcases ran out, the money was placed in cartons or storage boxes. We were also instructed to buy these containers.

6. One example was our delivery to the house of a lawmaker, as shown in the photos referred to in the affidavit.

7. Some of us worked for Zaldy S. Co and his family for periods ranging from one (1) year to nine (9) years. Some of us were also assigned as driver-bodyguards for certain persons such as Joey De Guzman (media coordinator).

8. Col. William Guillermo Dominguez (Army, Ret.), PMaj Ermelo Dichoso, Jr., PCpt Alvin Nuguid, active PMSGT Jhonie Calleja, and Honesto “Bong” S. Cruz prepared our day-to-day duty detail. Whoever was assigned to Zaldy S. Co was often the one instructed to escort his executive assistants in delivering money.

9. Money was delivered almost daily to various people. Because of our long service and close association as employees, ZALDY CO’s executive assistants would also tell us where, to whom, and sometimes how much money was to be delivered.

10. The vehicles we used when delivering or escorting the executive assistants of Zaldy Co included: Toyota Sequoia (NNV 2869, armored), Toyota Super Grandia (NHN 8729, armored), Toyota Super Grandia (NHN 7310, armored), Toyota Super Grandia Elite (EAG 4628, armored), Lexus (NFX 8886, armored), Toyota Hi-Lux (EAF 7121, armored), Toyota Grandia Elite (NFX 1080), Toyota Grandia (HAG 3700), Toyota Grandia (SAB 8065), Fortuner (BU 1096), and Innova (NBB 7233).

11. We served as security escorts for the executive assistants and as carriers of the money we brought to different houses or places such as Units 8 & 9 Polo Club Townhouse in Forbes Park; No. 42 McKinley Road, North Forbes Park; No. 14 Narra Street, South Forbes Park; No. 30 Tamarind Street, South Forbes Park; No. 41 Narra Street, South Forbes Park; Greenhills, San Juan; Midas Hotel; and Zaldy Co’s office in the House of Representatives (Committee on Appropriations Office).

12. There were also times when we were instructed to wait at Valle Verde 6 for suitcase-loads of money delivered by various remitters to ZALDY CO such as Congressman Gardiola. There was also weekly pick-up money from No. 20 Banaba, South Forbes Park, the house of Secretary Laurel Tiu. There was also a delivery at the basement parking area of Shangri-La Hotel in BGC by retired General Gregorio Catapang, then BUCOR chief.

13. In the following sections, we narrate what we personally know about the different deliveries of suitcase-loads of money (which we referred to as “garbage”).

Confirmation of Earlier Statements

II. Confirmation of the Statements of Elizalde S. Co and MSGT Orly Guteza.

14. We confirm that the statements of MSGT Orly Guteza (Ret.), which he read before the Senate blue ribbon committee and which we watched on television are TRUE. We were also with him in delivering suitcase-loads of money to certain government officials. The photos referred to in the affidavit show that he was with us during such deliveries.

15. We also watched the disclosures made by ZALDY CO through social media, and we attest to the truth of his statements about the delivery of money to several high government officials.

ICC Operations

III. ICC Operations – First Arrival: December 2023.

16. I, Belnard Tube, together with Mark Ticsay and John Paul Estrada, exchanged two suitcases, each containing 56 million pesos into dollars in a building on Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City, several months before December 2023. I knew that each suitcase contained 56 million pesos because “56M” was written on the suitcase, and Mark and Paul also told me that they bought dollars in preparation for the coming “foreigners,” with former senator Sonny Trillanes in charge.

17. In December 2023, We, Rosebert Waupan, Rommel C. Galapon, Cecilio Larroder, Belnard Tube, and some of our other companions, were instructed to fetch at the airport the persons whom Mark and Paul called “foreigners.” Sonny Trillanes gave me (Belnard Tube) the contact numbers of the arriving “foreigners.” The first to arrive were two men named Glenn Kala and William Rosato. The following night, four (4) women arrived, one of whom was Chantal Daniels.

18. Some of the vehicles of Zaldy Co used by the “foreigners” are shown in the photos referred to in the affidavit.

19. The ICC personnel stayed at Citadines-Makati for about two weeks. Some of us were assigned to provide security to the “foreigners” while they were in the Philippines.

20. Their accommodation at Citadines-Makati was paid for by ZALDY CO (because Mark Ticsay made the payment).

21. The “foreigners” went around various places in Manila and Quezon City using Zaldy Co’s vehicles, and from what we overheard, they were visiting places where the alleged EJKs connected with former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs supposedly happened.

22. After touring Manila and Quezon City for several days, the “foreigners” held a meeting with Sonny Trillanes at Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City. The “foreigners” also had a meeting at Unit 9, Manila Polo Club Townhouse in Forbes Park, with former Speaker Martin Romualdez, Zaldy Co and Sonny Trillanes.

23. We confirmed that the “foreigners” being referred to were from the International Criminal Court (ICC) because we saw Chantal in the news as part of the ICC. The affidavit also refers to photos of her and the other members of her team.

To be continued on Wednesday, June 10, 2026

---

Facebook: Rigoberto Tiglao

X: @bobitiglao

Website: www.rigobertotiglao.com

The post The real reason for the May 11 Senate revolt: The 18 soldiers’ testimony first appeared on Rigoberto Tiglao.

The real reason for the May 11 Senate revolt: The 18 soldiers’ testimony
Source: Breaking News PH