Court told: ‘Maleta’ allegedly sent to Sotto, Quimbo, Trillanes

MANILA, Philippines — A purported bagman told the Sandiganbayan Third Division on Thursday that he delivered cash-filled suitcases, or “maleta,” to Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, former Rep. Stella Quimbo, and former Sen. Antonio Trillanes.

Trillanes has denied the allegation, while the Inquirer is still awaiting comments from Sotto and Quimbo.

READ: Witness: P10M allegedly offered for each recantation by ‘maleta boys’

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Rodante Orbillo testified before the anti-graft court during the bail hearing of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez over alleged kickbacks totaling P7.44 billion from the government’s infrastructure projects, which were purportedly delivered by the so-called “Maleta boys.”

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Orbillo was one of the former bodyguards of ex-Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, collectively referred to as the “Maleta boys.”

Associate Justice Ronald Moreno asked Orbillo if he had delivered suitcases to other personalities aside from Romualdez.

Orbillo initially refused to name the individuals, saying he had already faced charges in court.

However, Moreno noted that the question was meant to test his credibility, adding that other witnesses in flood control cases before the Third Division had implicated several individuals while on the witness stand.

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Orbillo then named Sotto, Quimbo, and Trillanes.

He said he delivered luggage to Sotto and Trillanes “one time” but did not specify how often he delivered it to Quimbo.

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Trillanes said Orbillo’s allegation was “definitely not true.”

“In fact, his colleagues have already recanted and said that their allegations that they gave me a ‘maleta’ of money are not true,” Trillanes said in a Viber message. /mcm