October 30, 2025 | 11:50am
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy has denied that Orly Guteza — a retired Marine sergeant who appeared as a surprise witness before the Senate blue ribbon committee last month — is under the protection of the Philippine Marines.
In a statement on Thursday, October 30, Navy spokesperson Capt. Marissa Martinez said Guteza had been retired from the Philippine Marine Corps since June 30, 2020, and “no longer falls under the administrative authority” of the service. Martinez said any engagements or interactions he has today “are undertaken in his personal capacity.”
“It must be also made clear that Mr. Orly Regala Guteza is not under the protection of the Philippine Marine Corps, which has no involvement in his personal affairs,” the Navy spokesperson said.
The Navy also stressed that the service remains “a professional and non-partisan organization dedicated to upholding national sovereignty and serving the Filipino people with honor and integrity.”
The clarification came a day after former lawmaker Mike Defensor claimed that Guteza was currently “under the Philippine Marines.”
In an interview on “Storycon” on One News, Defensor claimed that Guteza sought protection from the Marines after he testified before the Senate blue ribbon committee last month and opted not to be placed under the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) witness protection program.
Defensor — who earlier said he introduced Guteza to Sen. Rodante Marcoleta — maintained that the former Marine remains willing to cooperate with authorities if formally summoned.
Alleged cash deliveries. At the Senate hearing in September, Guteza alleged that he personally delivered 46 suitcases, each containing P48 million, to the residences of then–House appropriations chair Elizaldy Co and then–House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Guteza also said he had served as a security consultant for Co.
Both Co and Romualdez have since denied these allegations.
Controversy over the credibility of Guteza — who was Marcoleta’s surprise witness as then-chairperson of the blue ribbon — deepened this week after the Manila Regional Trial Court confirmed that Guteza’s sworn statement bore a forged notary signature.
In an October 24 order, Executive Judge Carolina Icasiano-Sison of Branch 18 referred the falsification case to the DOJ for further investigation and possible charges.
The DOJ confirmed yesterday it would act on court order and investigate Guteza’s affidavit.
While the court found the notarization invalid, it did not rule on the truthfulness of Guteza’s claims.
