Lawyer Levito Baligod criticized the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after the agency scheduled another appearance for the group identifying themselves as 18 former Marines on June 10, 2026.
Baligod said NBI Director Melvin Matibag appeared to be seeking attention in the investigation, arguing that his clients had already undergone multiple rounds of identity verification.
According to the lawyer, the witnesses have been subjected to the same verification process three times. He said requiring them to appear again has become exhausting and is no longer reasonable.
Baligod also noted that a separate case involving the matter is already being handled by the Office of the Ombudsman. He said his clients have been cooperating with that process, leading him to question the NBI’s continued involvement in the issue.
In addition, Baligod accused Matibag of acting more like a political operator than an investigator. He alleged that the NBI chief was using tactics that could confuse the public and cast doubt on the credibility of the witnesses.
The lawyer made the remarks after attending a preliminary investigation conducted by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with a cyberlibel complaint filed by Antonio Trillanes IV against the group.
Former senator Trillanes was also present during the proceedings. He had previously stated that he intended to file another case following the group’s latest statements before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee led by the camp of Alan Peter Cayetano.
The statements cited in the proceedings remain part of the ongoing legal and investigative processes involving the parties concerned.
