DAVAO City First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte said he salutes the 18 former Marines for speaking out about the alleged delivery of suitcases containing money.
Rep. Duterte said the 18 former uniformed personnel risked their lives by coming forward and sharing how they witnessed suitcases being delivered with money inside. He emphasized that this was not just “chismis” or fake news from a vlog, but sworn testimony from the men involved.
He said the response of the politicians implicated in the issue consisted of silence, denial, and the clearing of the manifestation of Representative Bong Suntay from the House of Representatives (HOR) records.
He criticized those involved for failing to confront the accusations and, instead of addressing them, choosing to have the statements removed from the records. He likened their actions to a student caught cheating who tears up his exam paper.
“The Filipino people are not stupid. Kung wala kayong tinatago, bakit takot na takot kayo sa manifestation? Why silence a fellow lawmaker? Why sanitize the records? Ano ang kinakatakutan ninyo — the truth?” he said in a statement on March 3, 2026.
Duterte added that those who hurriedly cleared the HOR records may be able to delete lines from the House journal, but they cannot erase the questions in the minds of the Filipino public.
He also recalled how the public had been focused on the trillion-peso flood control anomalies in the country, saying those involved in the flood control projects may now be pleased, as the controversy surrounding the alleged suitcases of money diverted the public’s attention from the flood control issue.
Duterte spoke about the issue of the suitcases filled with money as the political atmosphere intensified over the impeachment complaints filed against his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte.
He said the impeachment complaint against the vice president should stand on evidence and constitutional grounds, not on alleged suitcases and backdoor transactions. He added that if those involved have a clear conscience, they should welcome a full investigation rather than selectively choosing which issues to confront.
Ex-marines’ notarized affidavit
To recall, 18 former Marines signed a notarized affidavit claiming they personally transported a huge amount of cash, allegedly totaling P805 billion, to high-ranking officials in the country, namely President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and members of the HOR and the Senate.
Following this revelation, Levi Baligod, the lawyer of the 18 former Marines, submitted the soldiers’ affidavit to the Office of the Ombudsman on February 28 for investigation. The affidavit contained allegations against lawmakers and government officials who allegedly received money.
Meanwhile, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said in an interview on 24 Oras that he wants to secure individual affidavits from each of the 18 former marines who swore they delivered suitcases of money to certain officials, allegedly upon the instruction of former Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co.
The Ombudsman will then set a date for the former uniformed personnel to formally submit their affidavits. Remulla also said he wants the Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate the statements of the 18 former marines. RGP