Senator Panfilo Lacson is examining claims that former military personnel delivered huge amounts of cash to ranking officials allegedly upon the orders of ex-Rep. Elizaldy Co.
Lacson said he will first verify the source of the information, referring to the 18 alleged former Marines who surfaced in a press conference, and assess the credibility of their affidavits.
He has asked the Philippine Navy and Philippine Army to conduct background checks after reports that several were dishonorably discharged and some were never members of the Navy.
Senator Imee Marcos filed Senate Resolution No. 317 seeking a Blue Ribbon probe into the alleged scheme. The complaint stemmed from claims that billions in cash were delivered to officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Lawyer Levito Baligod also alleged that Co and former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV funded hotel stays of International Criminal Court investigators in the country.
Lacson questioned the reported P805 billion allegedly delivered in cash, noting it accounts for over 70 percent of the P1.13 trillion flood control budget from 2023 to 2025.
He said the remaining P325 billion does not reconcile with admitted kickbacks and project costs, adding that transporting P805 billion would require more than 13,400 large suitcases holding P50 million to P70 million each.
The senator also raised concerns over the timing and venue of the press conference, held at Club Filipino on the eve of the EDSA anniversary and during ICC hearings on the Duterte drug war.
“Sa akin, mukhang not just may political color, mukhang may destabilization aspect,” said Lacson.IMT
