Sotto, Tulfo slam ‘ex-marines’ kickback claims

MANILA, Philippines — Senators Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Erwin Tulfo on Thursday rejected the claims of the supposed ex-Marines who said they delivered cash-filled suitcases (“maletas”) to the lawmakers.

Two of the 18 supposed ex-Marines, allegedly hired by ex-congressman Zaldy Co as “bagmen,” made the claims during a probe led by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta into flood control anomalies.

READ: Cyberlibel, perjury raps filed vs lawyer, 18 ex-marines

“I said that back then. I will not dignify such because I was not a senator from 2022 to 2025. The name they mentioned as my EA (executive assistant) who was appointed was Mark. Mark died in 2015,” Sotto stressed in a message to reporters.

Alleged former Marine Belnard Tube earlier claimed that he delivered two pieces of luggage to Sotto’s building in Baclaran, which were received by the senator’s assistant named “Mark.”

READ: ‘Ex-marines’ repeat kickback claims; Sotto, Tulfo named

Another supposed Marine, Bernard Gumban, said he delivered luggage twice to Tulfo’s residence in Greenhills—first two small suitcases, and then six pieces.

“It is a lie, a blatant lie. They can’t answer what the purpose was, where the suitcase came from… Aren’t they specifying? Clearly, a deception. Clearly, a lie,” Tulfo told reporters in a phone patch interview.

READ: Matibag: NBI received info that Defensor bribed ‘18 ex-Marines’ P5M each

He also said that he couldn’t have received money from flood control projects because “I don’t even have allocables.”

“My name is also not in the GAA (General Appropriations Act) because I didn’t get any project in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. I didn’t get a dime. How can they say it’s a payment for flood control?” he added. /mcm