Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Friday, Aug. 7, urged authorities to investigate not only the conflicting statements of the so-called “Maleta Boys” but also the individuals who may be behind the allegations and the confusion surrounding them.

Lacson made the call after four of the 18 men withdrew their earlier claims involving the alleged delivery of cash-filled suitcases to several personalities in connection with supposed kickbacks from flood control projects.

He said the latest recantations have raised additional questions, particularly because the men have repeatedly changed their accounts in different settings.

"First question that needs to be answered is - are these four part or outside of the eight reported earlier to have submitted their sworn statements to the Ombudsman which triggered the initiation of the preliminary investigation against former Speaker Martin Romualdez, et al?" he said.

"Sa dami kasi ng flip-flopping statements nila sa iba’t-ibang fora at venues, hindi na natin alam kung ano na ang totoo at hindi sa mga sinasabi nila at kung sino-sino sa kanila ang nagsasabi ng totoo at hindi (With the many flip-flopping statements they made in various fora and venues, we no longer know who among them is telling the truth, or which parts of their claims are true)," he added.

Lacson said authorities should also determine who organized or encouraged the men to make their allegations in the first place.

"Dapat ding tugisin at papanagutin sa batas ang mga nasa likod ng gulo at confusion na nilikha nila. I hope the authorities will track and make them answerable as well (The authorities must also track down and make accountable to the law those behind the 'Maleta Boys' and the confusion they created. I hope the authorities will track and make them answerable as well)," he said.

The senator has previously questioned whether the logistical details behind the men’s allegations were plausible, particularly their claims involving an alleged P805-billion cash delivery scheme.

Lacson earlier pointed to the sheer volume of money that would have to be transported, noting that P805 billion in paper bills would weigh about 805 metric tons. He also estimated that around 53.6 metric tons of large empty suitcases would be needed to carry the cash, apart from the time required to count, repack and transport the money.

"To be clear, while every imputation of a crime warrants our attention, none deserves our blind deference. In the same manner that everyone has a right to be heard, it is not a license to mislead. Hence, while I reserve judgment on the merits of the testimonies, I am duty-bound to raise questions of logic and – at the very least – basic mathematics," he said in a privilege speech on March 2.

Based on his calculations, Lacson said the process of unloading, counting, repacking, loading and delivering the money would have taken until around mid-2028 if the alleged deliveries began in 2023.

If the operation instead started in the second half of 2022, when then-Rep. Elizaldy Co became chairman of the House appropriations committee, Lacson said the process would still have taken until around mid-2027.

He also estimated that transporting P500 million per day would have required about 1,610 trips to and from Co’s residence.

Lacson further questioned the role allegedly played by Co if the former congressman did not receive any kickbacks, asking, "(w)as he just a messenger?”

The senator also previously raised the possibility that the 18 men could have been part of an attempted destabilization effort at the Senate on June 8.

He said any potential threat may have been prevented after then acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian ordered heightened security measures at the Senate.