The House Justice Committee’s impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte are expected to be closely watched Tuesday as witness Ramil Madriaga takes the stand, amid claims from her camp that he is the “weakest link” in the case.

According to Milky Rigonan's report in Damdaming Bayan, House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers Party-list rejected the characterization, arguing that the vice president’s camp would not have gone to the Supreme Court to seek a halt to the impeachment proceedings if Madriaga were truly a weak witness.

Madriaga arrived at the House of Representatives shortly after 7 a.m. Tuesday after being brought from a detention facility run by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Taguig City. He was allowed by a court to attend the impeachment hearing.

He is being held at a House detention area while awaiting his scheduled appearance before lawmakers.

House officials said Madriaga is expected to be among the first witnesses called, given that he was only permitted by the Manila Regional Trial Court to attend the hearing from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The House Justice Committee said Madriaga’s testimony is expected to be a key moment in the ongoing impeachment proceedings against the vice president.