National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag said testimonies from 18 alleged former bodyguards of former Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co may have been coached.
The revelation threatens the integrity of the investigation into the alleged misuse of public funds by the former lawmaker. If the witnesses were coordinated, the evidence used to build the case could be deemed unreliable in court.
Matibag said there were indicators the testimonies of the 18 supposed bagmen were "coached" and "coordinated" [1]. The investigation focused on the roles of these individuals as former bodyguards who allegedly handled funds for Co [2].
Despite the number of individuals interviewed, the NBI found a significant gap in formal cooperation. Matibag said that only five of the 18 former bodyguards signed their testimonies [2].
The lack of signed statements suggests a potential failure in the reliability of the witness pool. The NBI Director said that the coordination among the witnesses points toward a possible manipulation of evidence [1].
This development comes as the bureau continues to probe the financial dealings of the former representative. The investigation aims to determine if public funds were diverted for personal use, or other unauthorized purposes [1].
“The testimonies of the 18 supposed bagmen ... were "coached" and "coordinated".”
The NBI's finding that the majority of witnesses refused to sign their statements undermines the prosecution's ability to establish a credible pattern of behavior. In corruption cases involving public funds, the transition from interviewed witnesses to signed affidavits is critical for legal admissibility; without these signatures, the 'bagmen' testimonies may be dismissed as hearsay or fabricated evidence.
