Four men who identified themselves as former bodyguards of former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co have submitted new affidavits withdrawing their earlier allegations against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and other individuals.
The four claimed that their previous statements were false and said they made the allegations after they were allegedly promised financial assistance and security for their families.
Three of the men also alleged that they experienced pressure when they appeared before the Office of the Ombudsman to sign affidavits that had already been prepared.
According to their new affidavits, they now want to withdraw those statements.
The former bodyguards said they voluntarily executed the new affidavits because they want to live peacefully amid what they described as threats to their lives.
Their latest statements reverse the allegations they had previously made against President Marcos, Romualdez, and other personalities.
The Office of the Ombudsman has yet to issue a statement regarding the new affidavits and the allegations raised by the former bodyguards.
The lawyer representing the former bodyguards has also not yet released a statement on the matter.
The new affidavits come as authorities and other parties involved have yet to publicly respond to the claims that the earlier statements were made in exchange for promised financial assistance and security, as well as allegations of pressure during the affidavit-signing process.
No additional details regarding the status of any related proceedings or investigations were provided in the statements released by the former bodyguards.
The Office of the Ombudsman and the lawyer for the former bodyguards are expected to issue their respective responses regarding the latest allegations.
