Sotto shrugs off, Trillanes denies alleged ‘maleta’ deliveries

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente Sotto III on Thursday shrugged off allegations that he received suitcases filled with cash, while former Sen. Sonny Trillanes outright denied the claim.

Sotto and Trillanes issued their responses after Rodante Orbillo, one of the so-called “Maleta boys,” told the Sandiganbayan that he personally delivered suitcases of cash intended for Sotto, Trillanes, and former Rep. Stella Quimbo

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

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“Old story,” Sotto said in a Viber message. “Does not deserve a response.”

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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.

“That’s why I question Ombudsman Boying Remulla’s motives in collaborating with [Levito] Baligod and those maleta boys who were also the ones implicating PBBM (President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr.) and Cong Sandro (Marcos), whom they said also received suitcases,” he added.

Orbillo was part of the “Maleta boys,” a term referring to the former bodyguards of ex-Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.

The witness testified during the bail hearing of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who is facing a plunder case over alleged P7.44-billion kickbacks from government infrastructure projects delivered by the Maleta boys. /mcm