Former AnaKalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor, social media personality Jay Sonza, and 18 former Marines and soldiers on Monday filed their counter-affidavits on the complaints filed against them with the Department of Justice (DOJ).The complaints were in relation to the allegations of the former soldiers that they delivered cash to various officials and individuals, including former lawmaker Zaldy Co, among others.“Tinanggap lang ‘yung aming kasagutan doon sa complaint-affidavit na na-file sa amin, so nag-file kami. And then binibigyan sila ng pagkakataon ulit na magkaroon ng counter-affidavit doon sa na-file namin,” Defensor said in an ambush interview following the DOJ’s preliminary probe.(They only accepted our response to the complaint-affidavit filed against us, so we filed ours. And then they are being given another opportunity to submit a counter-affidavit to what we filed.)The complaints against the 18 were filed by former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, House Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima of ML party-list, Fr. Flavie Villanueva, and Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr.Trillanes filed a cyberlibel complaint against Defensor and Sonza, while Año filed a complaint against Defensor for the unlawful use of means of publication or unlawful utterances.“Kaming hindi involved at nagsasabing imbestigahan niyo man lang itong mga taong ito ang kinakasuhan,” Defensor said.(We, who are not involved and are merely saying that these people should at least be investigated, are the ones being charged.)“I will not stop. Hindi ako hihinto sa pagsasalita sa korupsiyon na nangyayari… ‘yung imbestigasyon na hindi nila tinutuloy,” he added.(I will not stop. I will not stop speaking about the corruption that is happening… the investigation that they are not continuing.)Defensor also challenged the Senate and the House of Representatives to invite the 18 former Marines to a hearing.Meanwhile, Sonza said he did not know why Trillanes filed a complaint against him, adding that he only “reported” what the 18 former soldiers alleged.“I have always had high respect sa DOJ. I’m sure they will decide on the merit of what is presented before them,” he said in a separate interview.Sonza’s legal counsel, Atty. Mark Tolentino said Sonza was merely exercising his rights under the law.“My client is just exercising freedom of press and freedom of expression, guaranteed sa ating Saligang Batas,” Tolentino said.For their part, lawyer Levito Baligod said all 18 Marines also filed their counter-affidavits. When asked about the contents of their counter-affidavit, Baligod argued that the complainants only denied the allegations against them.He said the denials were against a “positive and direct testimony of the actual participants” who delivered cash.“Marami nang desisyon kasi ang Supreme Court na ‘yung denial ang pinakamahina na argumento. Meron kasing mga tao na nagsasabi na nandoon kami, nakita namin. Sila ‘yung tinatawag nating eyewitnesses,” he said.(There are already many Supreme Court decisions saying that denial is the weakest argument. Because people are saying that we were there, we saw it. They are what we call eyewitnesses.)He also said that they have four new witnesses who also allegedly delivered cash from Co, but did not include them yet in their counter-affidavit.“Dahil humingi ng pag-ulit ang mga complainant na mag-sa-submit daw sila ng reply-affidavit… ay sinabi ko sa aming mga abogado na huwag muna isama ‘yung affidavit ng additional witnesses,” he said.(Because the complainants asked for another opportunity and said they would submit a reply-affidavit… I told our lawyers not to include the affidavit of the additional witnesses yet.) –NB, GMA News