The Office of the Ombudsman has asked lawyer Levito Baligod to submit separate affidavits of the 18 alleged former Marines who claimed that they delivered billions of pesos to several government officials as “kickbacks” in the flood control projects.

The joint affidavit of the 18 former “Marines” had been submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Acting on the submitted joint affidavit, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has been deputized to verify the identities and background of the 18 former “Marines.”

Clavano said the NBI’s assistance is needed “especially since there have been conflicting reports on who they are and where they used to serve."

Also, Clavano said, the Ombudsman “has sent a letter request to Atty. [Levi] Baligod to produce 18 separate affidavits lining out the narration of facts from the perspective of each person so as to produce a more accurate and credible narration of facts, as the Ombudsman has mentioned that a joint narration of facts loses credibility."

He said that the Ombudsman needs to assess their narration of facts individually, as a joint affidavit might blur the truth.

"It is only upon evaluation that it was found that there were 18 people that signed one affidavit. The contents may be true but the credibility will be strengthened when each one narrates the fact from their own unique perspective," he also said.

Earlier, Baligod had said that his clients want the government officials named in the joint affidavit to be charged with violations of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and RA 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.