Baligod on Matibag: ‘He needs to take a lie detector test’

MANILA, Philippines — Atty. Levito Baligod, legal counsel for the 18 “maleta boys,” said National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag is the one who needs to take a lie detector test.

Baligod made this statement when asked about the NBI chief’s remark that the bureau also asked the “maleta boys”—who implicated various government officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, in a “cash delivery” scheme—to undergo lie detector tests when they appeared in March as part of the investigation into their testimonies.

READ: Matibag: 18 ‘maleta boys’ also asked to undergo lie detector test

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“He is the one who needs to take a lie detector test,” Baligod said in a Viber message to the INQUIRER on Wednesday, pertaining to Matibag.

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But the counsel no longer replied when further clarified if he was categorically denying that the NBI asked the 18 individuals to take the test.

The INQUIRER reached out to Matibag regarding Baligod’s remark, but he has yet to respond as of this writing.

In an interview on Tuesday, Matibag was asked about the 18 “maleta boys,” after he said that former police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. had volunteered to undergo a lie detector test to stand by his affidavit implicating the Dutertes in his “cash delivery” accusations.

Gracioso is claiming that he delivered suitcases of money amounting to over P2 billion to Vice President Sara Duterte, P1 billion to former President Rodrigo Duterte, and P100 million to Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte in tranches starting in 2018, supposedly upon the instructions of his former boss, former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.

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“We offered it to them. We asked them. But we did not come to the point where the 18 Marines took a lie detector test,” Matibag earlier said.

The NBI director explained that a person must be willing to undergo a lie detector test, adding that “Gracioso voluntarily submitted himself to the [test].”

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Baligod first introduced the 18 individuals in February as “former Marines” who claimed they had served as “bagmen” for resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co and delivered P805 billion in alleged kickbacks to various politicians and personalities from anomalous flood control projects.

READ: Baligod may face other raps if 4 ‘maleta boys’ recantation legit – NBI

In August, four of the 18 “maleta boys” recanted their testimonies, alleging they signed their joint affidavit only for promised money. 

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Meanwhile, one of the remaining “maleta boys” denied his colleagues’ statements and claimed that they were actually offered P20 to P25 million to recant their affidavit. /das