Arrest Warrants Issued for 18 'Maleta Boys'; 14 Post Bail

A court in Las Piñas City has issued an arrest warrant for 18 former bodyguards of former lawmaker Zaldy Co, citing charges of perjury. According to a DZBB report by Nimfa Ravelo on Friday, Judge Kathryn Sabado issued the arrest warrant against the former bodyguards in relation to the four counts of perjury that each of them faces. Each count of perjury has a bail of P18,000, meaning the bodyguards are looking at a total bail of P72,000. The ex-bodyguards had implicated several personalities in the flood control scandal. Many of the accused personalities have denied the allegations and filed perjury charges in return. The warrants of arrest were issued on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the ex-bodyguards' lawyer, Levito Baligod, filed a motion to reduce the bail. Baligod said that he was now only representing 14 of the 18 former bodyguards who were facing charges. In an interview with the media, Baligod said that the four he was no longer representing have recanted their statements. —Jean Mangaluz/LDF, GMA News