FACT CHECK: Trillanes not arrested over alleged ICC ‘bribe’

Claim: Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV was arrested and imprisoned for receiving $2 million to bribe the investigators of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: Several Facebook and YouTube posts are spreading these allegations, with one from the channel “News Update Files” reaching more than 11,000 views, 1,100 likes, and 90 comments as of writing.

The video’s title reads, “Kinarma na! Antonio Trillanes nakulong na! Deserved! Arestado na! Bilyon-bilyong pera nabulgar na.”

(Karma has struck! Antonio Trillanes is now imprisoned! Deserved! Under arrest! Billions of pesos have been exposed!)

The claim surfaced following a press conference on February 24, in which a group of 18 “ex-Marines,” represented by lawyer Levi Baligod, claimed that $2 million was delivered to Trillanes from former lawmaker Zaldy Co, supposedly to fund “witness operations” and facilitate the ICC’s probe into former president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case linked to his administration’s war on drugs.

The facts: Trillanes has not been arrested or imprisoned, contrary to the claim. He has also dismissed the allegations, calling them a “blatant lie.”

“I vehemently deny that I received $2 million or any amount from Zaldy Co for the ICC investigation or any other purpose. This is an attempt to discredit the ongoing ICC proceedings against Duterte,” Trillanes said in a February 24 Facebook post.

He also questioned the timing of the allegations, which coincided with Duterte’s pre-trial hearing, held from February 23 to 27.

Speaking to journalist Jessica Soho, Trillanes said, “Bakit ngayon kung kailan kasagsagan ng confirmation of charges hearing? Bakit ngayon sila mag-eexpose? Those are the spin. Kasi kailangan nila palabasin na sinuhulan, para magamit ni Kaufman, na sasabihin, corrupt ‘yung mga ICC investigators.“

(Why now, when the confirmation of charges hearing is in full swing? Why are they exposing these claims now? That’s spin. Because they need to make it appear that there was bribery, so that [Duterte’s lead defense counsel Nicholas] Kaufman can say that ICC investigators are corrupt.)

On Thursday, March 5, Trillanes filed a perjury complaint against the 18 “ex-Marines” due to their “false testimonies,” and a cyber libel and incriminating an innocent person complaint against Baligod and several other personalities.

Independent probe: Asked about the former soldiers’ allegations, the ICC prosecution clarified that it conducted its investigations into Duterte’s case independently, using funds from the court.

“The Office independently collects the information relevant to its investigations, identifies the individuals from whom it collects witness statements, and assesses the credibility, reliability, and relevance of all sources of information it requests and receives, and examines incriminating and exonerating evidence equally,” the Office of the Prosecutor said in a statement to Rappler. (READ: Ex-marines’ affidavit dragging ICC a ‘deliberate intimidation’ – deputy prosecutor)

Questionable identities: Additionally, the Philippine Navy revealed that, based on their records, four of the supposed “bagmen” presented by Baligod were never members of the Philippine Navy or the Philippine Marine Corps, and that the “majority” of the rest were dishonorably discharged.

The Philippine Marine Corps slammed the group of alleged bagmen as “opportunistic.”

PMC Commandant Major General Vicente Blanco III said individuals who were dishonorably discharged are not “true” Marines, adding, “We should always look with disdain against opportunistic groups or individuals trying to link their actions as being true Marines — they are unworthy of our respect.” – Princess Leah Sagaad/Rappler.com

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