‘Please stop calling them Marines’

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has officially distanced itself from former House appropriations committee chair Zaldy Co’s staff or bodyguards who claimed to have delivered suitcases of cash to various government officials in connection with the alleged flood control scam.

In a statement, the military asked the media not to refer to the individuals as the “18 ex-Marines” or any similar term that suggests an association with the uniformed service.

“May we respectfully request accuracy in referring to the individuals involved in the ongoing Senate proceedings,” AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a message to media.

“While some reports have collectively described them as ‘Marines’ or ‘ex-Marines,’ it is important to note that they were no longer in active military service at the time of the acts and allegations being discussed,” he added.

Trinidad stressed that the alleged delivery of cash supposedly representing kickbacks from flood control and other infrastructure projects were undertaken in their private capacities and not on behalf of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“It should also be clarified that not all of the individuals concerned are former members of the Philippine Marine Corps. As such, the use of the term ‘Marines’ may unintentionally suggest institutional involvement by the AFP or the Philippine Marine Corps,” he added.

For accurate representation, Trinidad encouraged the public to “use the individuals’ names or simply refer to them as witnesses, affiants or former staff/bodyguards of the concerned personalities, as appropriate.”