SEN. Erwin Tulfo said Saturday that the Office of the Ombudsman should find out who was behind the four “maleta boys” who recanted their allegations, saying the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which he heads, should not interfere to avoid duplicating the investigation.
The four recanted their earlier allegations that they had delivered suitcases (maleta) filled with cash and flood control project kickbacks to top government officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., former House speaker Martin Romualdez, and other lawmakers — including Tulfo.
“I’m not surprised that they’re recanting,” Tulfo said in an interview Saturday.
He added that the allegations against him had no basis and that reports that the "maleta boys" were bribed should now be investigated.
The Ombudsman has the authority to determine who may have recruited, influenced, or bribed the witnesses, Tulfo said.
The four who recanted were among 18 men claiming to be former bodyguards of former Ako Bicol representative Zaldy Co and said they served as his “bagmen” to deliver suitcases filled with cash to key politicians.
Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., who was also tagged as a recipient of the kickbacks and who later sued the 18 former bodyguards and their lawyer, Levito Baligod, for cyberlibel, challenged the four recanting “maleta boys” to name and provide evidence against those they claim were behind the preparation of their earlier sworn statements.
“If the affidavit was fabricated, who fabricated? If scripted, who did the script? If there’s a mastermind, name them, prove it,” Abante said.
The four former bodyguards — Rosebert Macasasa Waupan, Cecilio Serafica Larroder Jr., Benny Bulontate and Bernard Tube — recently withdrew sworn statements they had submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman.
They claimed they had been pressured, threatened or induced by the promise of financial support for their families into signing prepared affidavits, and alleged that Baligod directed their activities and coached them on public statements.
They said conscience, safety fears for their families, and unfulfilled financial promises were why they came forward to retract their statements.
But Abante said the recantations do not settle the issue, arguing that the four must explain who prepared and ordered their original affidavits and present evidence to support their new claims.
“The truth cannot depend on which affidavit happens to be the latest one,” he said.
Criminal complaints
Others who were named by the 18 former bodyguards, including former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, Bureau of Corrections Director Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., and Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año, filed perjury and libel charges against them in Caloocan, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa and San Juan.
Trillanes on Friday said he dropped the criminal charges against the four who recanted, saying that as a former soldier himself, he sympathized with their situation.
Their lack of livelihood left them vulnerable to being exploited by individuals with dark political motives, he said, adding that he hoped they "learned a hard lesson" and that the remaining 14 former bodyguards would also realize the truth.
Ten of the "maleta boys" were arrested on Friday, Aug. 7, by the Las Piñas City Police after failing to complete their bail payments before the 3 p.m. bank cutoff for four counts of perjury.
However, they were released on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, after processing their bail. Three others were able to post bail in time.
Blue Ribbon probe
Tulfo said the Blue Ribbon report on the flood control bribery scandal was still in limbo because not all of the panel members have signed the document.
He called on the senators to discuss the report and reach a consensus on whether the committee should pursue further investigation.
“The problem is that no one wants to sign. Only a few of us signed, not all members,” Tulfo said.
He said he wanted the members to hear each other’s positions and determine the direction of the committee before proceeding.
“If the majority wants to investigate, then we will investigate,” he said.
Tulfo suggested that the allegations against him may be connected to his growing political profile and speculation about the 2028 elections.
He recalled a January survey that reportedly showed him among possible candidates who could challenge Vice President Sara Duterte, saying political attacks against him intensified after his name began appearing in discussions about the coming presidential race.
Tulfo said he expected the attacks to continue if he remained among those perceived to have a chance of winning.
He also addressed speculation linking him politically with former vice president Leni Robredo, saying he had been reflecting on his political future and had even considered serving only one term.
Tulfo said he recently visited his mother's grave and prayed about his future in public service.
He said he was weighing whether to continue in politics beyond his current term, particularly if he could not deliver meaningful accomplishments for the poor and other Filipinos he has pledged to serve.
He expressed frustration over the possibility of completing 12 years in the Senate without passing significant legislation, saying such a situation would be unacceptable to him.
Tulfo said the attacks against him have also affected his family, adding that the political pressure has made him reassess both his record and his future in public service.
Despite the controversy, he maintained that he would continue to focus on his legislative work and on efforts to strengthen laws against corruption.
