Rep. Janette Garin Files Cyberlibel and Perjury Complaints at DOJ Against Levito Baligod and 18 Former Soldiers

In the ANC 24/7 video titled "WATCH: Rep. Janette Garin sues Baligod, 18 'ex-bodyguards' over kickback claims," the Iloilo 1st District representative is shown arriving at the Department of Justice building in Manila to personally file her complaints, underscoring her direct response to the allegations tied to former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy "Zaldy" Co.

Rep. Janette Garin Files Cyberlibel and Perjury Complaints at DOJ Against Levito Baligod and 18 Former Soldiers Linked to Zaldy Co

Manila, Philippines — On Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Rep. Janette Garin of the Iloilo 1st District walked into the Department of Justice headquarters in Manila and submitted formal cyberlibel and perjury complaints against lawyer Levito Baligod and 18 former soldiers who have positioned themselves as key witnesses in the flood control kickback investigation. The move directly challenges claims that Garin received suitcases of cash from fugitive former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy "Zaldy" Co, a case that has already drawn scrutiny from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and the National Bureau of Investigation.

The Filing at DOJ

Rep. Janette Garin personally delivered the complaint documents to the DOJ office in Manila on June 10, 2026, naming lawyer Levito Baligod and the 18 former soldiers described as bodyguards and drivers for Zaldy Co. The complaints allege that the statements made by these individuals constitute cyberlibel through public dissemination of false claims and perjury because several of the sworn testimonies contain inconsistencies that the complainants argue amount to deliberate falsehoods under oath. Garin’s filing comes after the same group of 18 individuals had already been referenced in Senate proceedings led by Sen. Erwin Tulfo, where only six of them ultimately signed their sworn statements according to NBI Director Melvin Matibag.

The DOJ filing specifies that Garin seeks accountability for the public accusations that she accepted bags of cash from Zaldy Co as part of alleged kickbacks from flood control projects. By submitting the documents herself, Garin emphasized her willingness to confront the claims head-on rather than through intermediaries, a step that legal observers in Manila note carries weight in Philippine jurisprudence when public officials face reputational attacks tied to congressional investigations.

Garin's Defense

Rep. Janette Garin stated clearly that she does not know the 18 bodyguards and drivers who claim to have delivered cash on behalf of Zaldy Co. In her video statement released alongside the filing, she repeated the phrase “Hindi ko kilala yung 18 bodyguards drivers na allegedly ay nasa kay former congressman Zaldy Co,” underscoring that she has never met or interacted with these individuals in any official or personal capacity. She further declared that her conscience remains clear, saying “Malinis ang konsensya ko” and denying that she ever received a single bag or luggage containing cash from the fugitive former lawmaker.

Garin described the allegations as fake and baseless, carved out of political vendetta, and she announced plans to question the 18 individuals face to face so that any discrepancies in their accounts can be examined directly. Her additional ANC 24/7 video titled “‘Hindi ko sila kilala’: Garin denies knowing 18 Zaldy Co bagmen” reinforces her position that the claims lack any documentary trail linking her to the alleged transactions, a point she argues should be tested in formal proceedings rather than through media statements alone.

The Bagmen's Allegations

The 18 former soldiers, presented by lawyer Levito Baligod as bagmen for Zaldy Co, claimed they personally delivered suitcases filled with cash derived from flood control project kickbacks to several high-ranking officials including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Sen. Loren Legarda, and others. These allegations surfaced during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings chaired by Sen. Erwin Tulfo, where the group asserted that the deliveries formed part of a larger scheme involving billions of pesos in inflated contracts awarded to entities connected to Zaldy Co.

Baligod has indicated he intends to present 21 additional witnesses, consisting of 14 more former Marines and seven other individuals, to bolster the original testimony. However, NBI Director Melvin Matibag confirmed that only six of the original 18 actually signed their sworn statements, a detail that has already prompted questions about the completeness of the evidence submitted to investigators.

Inconsistencies and Gaps

Lawyer Levito Baligod himself acknowledged during public statements that some of his clients never personally witnessed cash being handed over to certain lawmakers, a concession that directly weakens the chain of custody for the allegations against Rep. Janette Garin. The fact that only six of the 18 signed their testimonies at the NBI further highlights gaps in the documentation, as the remaining twelve have not provided sworn confirmation of the claims attributed to them.

The 18 individuals also declined to appear before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing led by Sen. Erwin Tulfo, choosing instead to have their statements relayed through Baligod. This absence has been cited by Garin’s camp as evidence that the accusers are unwilling to subject their accounts to direct cross-examination, a procedural step that Philippine courts routinely require when perjury complaints are under review.

Political Reactions

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro dismissed the bagmen’s claims as garbage and inconsistent, labeling the individuals “maleta boys” and “basureros” in reference to their alleged role carrying suitcases of cash. House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro echoed the same terminology, calling the group “maleta boys” and “basureros” while questioning the reliability of testimony that has not been uniformly sworn before the NBI.

Rep. Benny Abante had previously filed similar libel complaints against the same group, establishing a pattern of public officials pushing back against the allegations through formal legal channels. These parallel filings at the DOJ illustrate how multiple members of Congress are seeking to defend their reputations while the underlying flood control investigation continues to unfold.

The Flood Control Scandal

The broader investigation centers on a flood control kickback scheme involving billions of pesos in contracts linked to Zaldy Co, who remains a fugitive with an Interpol red notice and is believed to be in Portugal. Arrest warrants have already been issued for several DPWH officials and Sunwest Corp. executives connected to the projects, showing that law enforcement agencies are actively pursuing the financial trail beyond the initial witness statements.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee under Sen. Erwin Tulfo has conducted multiple hearings on the matter, yet the refusal of the 18 individuals to appear in person has limited the committee’s ability to verify the delivery claims. Zaldy Co’s status as a fugitive has further complicated efforts to obtain primary documentation that could either corroborate or refute the bagmen’s accounts.

Impact on Ordinary Filipinos

Residents in Iloilo province and other flood-prone areas across the Visayas continue to face delayed infrastructure projects because funds meant for flood control have allegedly been siphoned through the kickback scheme. Farmers in barangays along the Iloilo River and coastal communities in Guimbal and Oton rely on these projects to protect their livelihoods during typhoon season, yet the ongoing controversy has slowed disbursement of budgets from the Department of Budget and Management.

Overseas Filipino Workers from Iloilo who send remittances to support local flood mitigation efforts now question whether their contributions are reaching intended barangay-level projects, eroding trust in institutions such as the DPWH and Congress. The human cost extends to families in Cebu and Davao who have experienced similar project delays, highlighting how allegations at the national level directly affect daily safety in provinces far from Manila.

What to Watch For

Legal experts anticipate that the DOJ will first determine probable cause on the cyberlibel and perjury complaints before any subpoenas are issued to Levito Baligod or the 18 former soldiers. Additional Senate hearings could compel the remaining twelve individuals to provide sworn testimony, while the NBI continues its parallel probe into the financial flows connected to Zaldy Co’s companies. Observers in Quezon City note that the outcome of Garin’s filing may set a precedent for how future witness statements in congressional investigations are vetted before public release.