"Operation Big Bird" was the attempt of the Philippine Government during the presidency of Corazon Aquino to recover the alleged US$7.5 billion of hidden accounts and assets of President Ferdinand Marcos and his family in the Swiss banks. Conceived by Philippine banker Michael de Guzman, it commenced shortly after Marcos was forced into asylum in the United States. Initially, Operation Big Bird did not recover any money with two differing reports by Representative Victorio Chaves and Senator Jovito Salonga. Chaves laid the blame upon Salonga, Solicitor-General Sedfrey Ordoñez and the Swiss bank lawyers. Salonga countered that Ordoñez had prevented the Philippine government from losing a large sum of money. Evidence suggests that de Guzman acted in good faith on behalf of the new government but that a double cross may have been present.

Jose T. Almonte is a retired Filipino Army general. He was the National Security Advisor and Director-General of the National Security Council in the Cabinet of Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos. He was also the head of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and the Director of the Economic Intelligence and Investigation Bureau (EIIB) during the administration of Pres. Corazon Aquino.