A man claiming to be a former bagman of Vice President Sara Duterte was transported Tuesday morning to the House of Representatives to testify in impeachment proceedings against the country’s second-highest official.
Ramil Madriaga was brought from detention at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City shortly after 6 a.m., according to his lawyer, Atty. Raymund Palad. Madriaga is set to appear before lawmakers today, Tuesday, April 14, as hearings continue into multiple impeachment complaints filed against Duterte.
Palad said his client is prepared to answer questions, particularly those related to the alleged misuse of confidential funds, but is also ready to address other matters that may be raised during the proceedings.
Madriaga was under tight security during the transfer, guarded by personnel from the House Sergeant-at-Arms, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and the National Bureau of Investigation.
The camp of the vice president said Madriaga’s testimony could serve as additional evidence in a perjury case they filed against him last year. They also urged the former aide to submit his affidavit, which he had earlier filed before the Office of the Ombudsman.
Madriaga has been detained at a BJMP facility in Camp Bagong Diwa over two counts of kidnapping for ransom.
Madriaga’s Account vs. VP Sara
In his affidavit, Madriaga alleged that he personally delivered large sums of money to various individuals upon the instructions of Duterte when she was still serving as education secretary. He also accused her of receiving campaign funds in 2022 from alleged drug lords and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.
Duterte has denied the allegations and filed perjury complaints against Madriaga, describing him as part of a kidnap-for-ransom group that supposedly plotted to assassinate her.
At least four impeachment complaints have been filed against Duterte, though only two remain active after one was dismissed over a constitutional one-year bar rule and another was withdrawn. Despite this, all complaints cited Madriaga’s affidavit as a key piece of evidence.
Complainants have argued that Madriaga’s statements support claims that confidential funds were diverted for personal use, contrary to their intended purpose.
The House has been conducting parallel inquiries into the alleged misuse of confidential funds, including scrutiny of fund transfers in 2022 and the rapid disbursement of P125 million within 11 days, as well as questionable acknowledgment receipts tied to the expenditures.
