Trillanes Denies Accepting $2 Million ICC Bribe from Co
- Hiraya Publication
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
Zach Uy
APRIL 14, 2026
Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV speaks to the media in front of the Department of Justice.
Photo by Ben Pulta / Philippine News Agency (PNA).
On February 24, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV vowed to bring cyber libel charges against lawyer Levito Baligod, former congressman Mike Defensor, and multiple others, for accusing him of allegedly accepting $2 million from fugitive lawmaker Zaldy Co.
The alleged bribe was supposedly to help the International Criminal Court (ICC) with its investigation into the brutal drug war of former President Rodrigo Duterte. “I vehemently deny that I received $2 million or any amount from Zaldy Co for the ICC investigation or for any other purpose. We did not receive any money. This move is meant to discredit the ICC in light of the ongoing confirmation of charges hearing,” Trillanes stated.
His remarks follow a press briefing in which eighteen former members of the Philippine Marine Corps—often referred to as the "bagmen" of Zaldy Co.—made scathing allegations against a number of officials. They had pictures of purported cash arrivals as proof, represented by their attorney Levito Balingod.
The former Marine Corps claimed to have given suitcases filled with P805 billion in cold cash, supposedly from bribes from flood control projects, to President Marcos Jr., a number of high-ranking government officials, members of Congress, and the former senator.
Baligod previously claimed that ICC investigators supposedly profited from shady government funding and that, at Co's direction, certain Marines were told to transfer P56 million that was purportedly meant for "foreigners." Additionally, he asserted that Trillanes-endorsed witnesses were interviewed by ICC investigators.
At a press conference in San Juan, Trillanes announced plans to bring cyber libel charges against Baligod, Defensor, broadcaster Jay Sonza, and the eighteen former soldiers who made the accusations public. "We cannot let this pass, and we will not be distracted," he declared. "We will run after them.”
The timing of the accusations, Trillanes claimed, was "highly malicious and highly suspicious" and intended to undermine the ICC hearings that were still in progress. He pointed out that the accusations of bribery followed the revelation of a corruption scandal involving government flood control projects worth billions of pesos.
“I think it’s Article 70. They will have to deal with that. The ICC can file the case. Many have already been imprisoned for obstruction of justice, even if the sentences are short,” according to Trillanes.
He went on to say that identifying and taking pictures of those connected to the case could put their lives in jeopardy. “The fact that they doxxed and released names puts the lives of these investigators in danger. They do not understand the implications,” he remarked.
The Philippine Navy subsequently clarified that four of the eighteen had never served in the Marines or the navy. The bulk of those who brought the accusations were dishonorably discharged.
REFERENCES
Cariaso, Villeza. (2026, February 25). Trillanes denies $2 million bribe from Co for ICC. Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/02/25/2510224/trillanes-denies-2-million-bribe-co-icc
Dizon, D. (2026, February 26). Trillanes denies $2 million bribe to ICC | ABS-CBN News. ABS-CBN. https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/26/trillanes-denies-2-million-bribe-to-icc-judges-
ICC prosecutors deny bribery claim; Trillanes accuses Duterte Camp of Marines’ affidavit. (2026).
(2026, March 8) Iloilo Metropolitan Times's Post