The 18 ‘maleta boys’ who implicated various government officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in an alleged ‘cash delivery’ scheme were also asked to undergo lie detector tests when they appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in March as part of the investigation into their joint affidavit, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said.
This came after Matibag said former police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. is scheduled to undergo a lie detector test before the bureau on Wednesday or Thursday in connection with his affidavit.
Gracioso claims that he delivered suitcases containing large sums of cash to Vice President Sara Duterte, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and Rep. Paolo Duterte in tranches starting in 2018, supposedly upon the instructions of his former boss, former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.
‘In fact, inalok naman namin sa kanila yan. Tinanong namin eh,’ Matibag told reporters on Tuesday when asked why the 18 ‘maleta boys’ did not undergo a lie detector test when they were being investigated by the NBI.
(In fact, we offered it to them. We asked them.)
‘But hindi tayo dumating sa punto na yung 18 Marines ay nagpa-lie detector test,’ he added.
(But we did not come to the point where the 18 Marines took a lie detector test.)
According to Matibag, a person must be willing to undergo a lie detector test.
‘There should be willingness to the party. Siya [Gracioso] voluntarily sinubmit niya yung sarili niya sa lie detector test,’ he explained.
(There should be willingness to the party. He [Gracioso] voluntarily submitted himself to the lie detector test.)
Matibag explained that Gracioso first took a lie detector test in June, but only regarding his identity and his relationship with the individuals mentioned in his allegations. He said the result was ’99 percent accurate.’
He said the second test will be more ‘tedious’ and specific in tackling his allegations.
When asked about Matibag’s remark regarding the 18 ‘maleta’ boys, their counsel, Atty. Levito Baligod, the 18 ‘maleta boys’ counsel, said in a Viber message to the INQUIRER, ‘Siya ang kailangan magpa-lie detector test.’
(He is the one who needs to take a lie detector test.)
When further clarified if the NBI actually asked the 18 ‘maleta boys’ to undergo a lie detector test during their NBI appearance in March, Baligod said, ‘No.’
It was in February that Baligod introduced the 18 individuals as former Marines who claimed they had served as ‘bagmen’ for resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co and delivered P805 billion in alleged kickbacks to various politicians and personalities from anomalous flood control projects.
Baligod alleged that President Marcos masterminded the scheme and claimed the funds were distributed to several other personalities, including former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
In August, four of the 18 ‘maleta boys’ recanted their testimonies, alleging they signed their joint affidavit only for promised money.