Former Congressman Mike Defensor denied involvement in the recent allegations of multibillion-peso corruption exposed by the Philippine Marine Corps, saying the initiative was led by lawyer Levito Baligod and supported by certain military officials.
In an interview on DZRH’s Dos Por Dos on Wednesday, Defensor was asked whether he orchestrated the revelations involving 18 former Marines, who came forward to corroborate statements from Master Sgt. Orly Regala Guteza regarding alleged “Floodgate” irregularities in flood control projects.
“Hindi ako ang pasimuno niyan,” Defensor said.
“Actually, kung nakita niyo naman, si Atty. Levi talaga ang kausap ng mga sundalo. May mga tumutulong din na mga opisyal… Masyado naging tahimik at dahan-dahan na inayos nila at nag-usap sila ng mga sundalo para lumabas at magkaroon ng ganitong statement.”
Defensor clarified that the officials who assisted were mostly retired or active military personnel, and no sitting politicians were involved.
He highlighted Baligod’s connections within the Armed Forces, noting that Baligod had previously served as a private complainant in the Napoles case and maintained a wide network among military officers.
Regarding the timing of the disclosures, which came on the eve of the People Power Revolution Anniversary, Defensor said, “Sana mga two weeks ago pa o one week ago pa lumabas… Pero ako mismo, particular, siyempre ang interest ko dito, yung kay Sgt. Guteza… malaking bagay ito na una, matulungan yung mga binabanggit na sinabi ni Sgt. Guteza.”
Defensor added that while the Marines’ testimony is significant, efforts have been made by some to prevent certain details from being publicly released.
“May mga nagtitext, may mga tumatawag… Talagang pinipilit siguro na hindi mailabas itong impormasyon na ito,” he said, referring to recent attempts to follow and contact the former Marines.
He also explained how the Marines coordinated their joint affidavit. While multiple groups had different roles in delivering the alleged cash, Defensor said, “Ginawa nila isang buong affidavit na ang ibinunyag ng paglalahad… Wala silang direktang pagtutugma kung doon sa mga sinabi… Siguro, at most, yung binanggit lang eh, yung pagdedeliver ng pera, siya [Zaldy Co] siguro magkakapagbigay mismo ng substansya.”
Defensor emphasized that Congressman Zaldy Co, whose prior statements had corroborated some claims, was generally aware that the former Marines would come forward but was not involved in the preparation of the affidavit.
Looking ahead, Defensor said the affidavits are to be submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman under the supervision of Baligod. He stressed the importance of ensuring the integrity of the testimonies, saying,
“Sumusuporta ako sa kanila, naniniwala ako dun sa kanila mga sinasabi… Sana malocate namin talaga si Sgt. Guteza na magkasama-sama na talaga at mabuo yung kanilang salaysay.”
The disclosures come after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was accused on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, of being the “mastermind” of a scheme in which Marines allegedly delivered suitcases of cash to politicians, including International Criminal Court investigators, in connection with anomalous flood control projects.
Lawyer Levito Baligod publicly presented the 18 former Marines at Club Filipino in San Juan, claiming possession of sworn affidavits detailing repeated deliveries of cash-filled suitcases.
Earlier, the AFP said the claims were raised by a private lawyer in a public forum and, at this stage, remain mere allegations that must undergo proper legal and investigative processes before the appropriate authorities.
“We caution against grandstanding and the manipulative use of legitimate media to spread unverified claims that may contribute to disinformation,” the AFP said.
