ICC Deputy Prosecutor Denies Receiving Bribe from Philippine Officials
The ICC Deputy Prosecutor rejected claims that court personnel accepted cash payments from Philippine political figures. Former senator Antonio Trillanes also denied the allegations and filed complaints against the accusers.
He said the office operates only with funds allocated by member states and documented in its budget records. The denial came after a video posted on June 6, 2026, claimed that ICC staff arriving in the Philippines were given a suitcase containing cash.
The video, which has received more than 81,300 views, attributed the alleged payment to former senator Antonio Trillanes and former House speaker Martin Romualdez.
The claims originated during a June 4 Senate blue ribbon committee hearing. Eighteen individuals described as former marines testified that ICC personnel accepted bribes in coordination with Trillanes and Romualdez. Trillanes had previously denied the same accusations when they first appeared in an affidavit filed during February 2026 proceedings at the ICC.
He described the statements as inconsistent and said the accusers have changed details across multiple interviews.
ICC and Trillanes ICC Deputy Prosecutor
Mame Mandiaye Niang told Rappler that the allegations were intended to intimidate investigators. He added that the Philippines investigation receives no funding from local politicians. Trillanes filed a cyber libel complaint on March 23, 2026, against the 18 individuals, in addition to a perjury complaint filed earlier in March.
He said the evolving accounts put genuine witnesses at risk. A lawyer representing the 18 individuals stated on June 8, 2026, that two of them had withdrawn earlier statements involving another senator.
