‘Show up’: Ridon dares ‘Ex-Marines’ to attend June 8 blue ribbon hearing
MANILA, Philippines — Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon dared the 18 “ex-Marines” to show up at Monday’s Senate blue ribbon committee hearing, arguing that a no-show would prove their bribery claims are completely baseless.
This follows a Thursday blue ribbon hearing spearheaded by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s faction, where the alleged ex-Marines — claiming to be former lawmaker Zaldy Co’s bagmen — testified despite a recent reorganization of the Senate leadership.
During Thursday’s hearing, they claimed to have delivered suitcases full of money from Co to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., his son Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and several lawmakers, including Ridon.
Ridon has denied the allegations made by Jowly Cadiao, one of the alleged former Marines, saying these will not stop the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Ridon is part of the 11-man House prosecution panel for Duterte’s impeachment trial.
READ: Ridon: No money delivered to me; lies can’t stop impeachment trial
“This is very important, this is a challenge to the former 18 bodyguards. Show up in the Monday blue ribbon committee hearing of blue ribbon chaimanr Erwin Tulfo. Recall what you said in the last hearing,” Ridon said partly in Filipino in the Saturday News Forum.
“Ex-Marines” invited to attend blue ribbon
Senator Erwin Tulfo, the new chairperson of the blue ribbon committee, has invited the alleged former Marines to the hearing on Monday.
Bernard Guman, another alleged former Marine, also claimed to have delivered cash-stuffed luggage twice to what he was told was Tulfo’s residence in Greenhills.
Tulfo also denied the allegations and said that he will file a libel case after the hearing on Monday.
Ridon said Monday’s hearing will be the legitimate hearing conducted with the full secretariat and under oath.
“If they can subject themselves to congressional scrutiny under an official proceeding like what will happen on Monday, then that’s where we will test if their claims have credibility and if they are not lying,” Ridon said.
“If they did not attend, it’s clear that their claims are baseless and pure lies,” he added.
READ: Sotto, Tulfo to sue ‘ex-Marines’, lawyer for libel over kickback claims
After the Senate leadership change last Wednesday, the new majority bloc called the Thursday hearing as “bogus” and “naked grab for power,” saying that it is “nothing more than a self-serving spectacle meant to cling to positions they have already lost in a valid and constitutional reorganization of the Senate.”
Moreover, lawyer Dino de Leon said the alleged 18 former Marines, whom he described as “18 liars,” were being used by the camp of Cayetano. /gsg
READ: Matibag to Cayetano: ‘Face me’ at Monday’s blue ribbon hearing
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