NBI: Lawyer stopped 12 Co ‘bagmen’ from signing statements
Only six of 18 alleged former Marines, claiming to have delivered billions in cash to government officials including President Marcos, signed NBI statements, with a lawyer reportedly stopping 12 others from doing so.
On March 17, 2026, only 6 out of 18 alleged former Marines signed their written statements during one-on-one interviews with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), according to NBI Director Melvin Matibag. The 12 others did not sign their statements because their lawyer, Attorney Levito Baligod, requested to review the documents beforehand and prevented them from signing. Matibag revealed that Baligod even attempted to retract and destroy the signed copies from the six Marines who had already completed their statements. The NBI investigation centers on claims made by these 18 individuals who alleged they acted as 'bagmen' or cash couriers for former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Elizaldy Co, delivering P805 billion in kickbacks related to irregular flood control projects to various government officials including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The allegations initially surfaced at a press conference on February 24, 2026, led by Baligod, where the group promised to cooperate with NBI investigations. The 18 alleged former Marines returned to the NBI on March 17 for follow-up questioning that lasted over eight hours, but only a third of them completed the signing process due to their lawyer's intervention. The NBI has been conducting a preliminary probe into these claims, which have been met with skepticism from various officials, with the Philippine Navy confirming that four of the 18 never served as Marines and others were dishonorably discharged. The Palace has dismissed the allegations as a 'script' and distraction from real issues.
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