Vice President Sara Duterte defended her academic record on Wednesday, rejecting allegations made by Ramil Madriaga, a self-confessed former aide and bagman, during a House Committee impeachment hearing on Tuesday, April 14.
The Vice President issued the statement following the testimony made by Madriaga, who alleged that she struggled academically and that a former professor used influence to help her obtain passing grades.
Madriaga claimed that he had been close to a former professor of Duterte at San Sebastian College – Recoletos College of Law and alleged that the professor helped ensure she passed despite poor academic performance.
“I got close with Atty. Ryan who was previously a professor of Sara and former Associate Dean of SSC- Law. He shared with me that Sara was not particularly good in school, was often struggling with her academics, and habitually rude and violent to other student,“ Madriaga said.
“Hence, Atty. Ryan used his influence in SSC-Law to ensure that Sara received passing grades despite her poor academic performance,” Madriaga said during the hearing.
In a social media post, Duterte strongly denied the allegations, calling them part of what she described as a “mini trial” at the House Committee on Justice.
“Of all the lies thrown during the Committee on Justice "mini trial" on April 14, the one I personally take issue with is the claim, made by a bar flunker and kidnapping suspect, that I needed someone to help me get through law school,” Duterte said in a statement.
The Vice President said she completed her studies on her own terms and prioritized a “well-rounded life” over academic excellence, and emphasized that she prioritized a balanced lifestyle over academic distinction.
“I completed my studies on my own terms. I placed a higher premium on living a well-rounded life rather than pursuing academic excellence. I never asked any professor for special accommodation for my grades because the bare minimum was easy enough to meet,” she said.
Duterte also denied allegations regarding her conduct in school, saying she was “never the subject of any formal complaint for rudeness or violence against other students.“
“The exam that year was relatively difficult. I passed the Bar on my first attempt with a GWA of 80, five points above the minimum,” she said.
Duterte also criticized her political opponents and the conduct of the hearing, accusing some lawmakers of spreading falsehoods and alleging broader political motives behind the proceedings.
“Madriaga and his cohorts in the House of Representatives do not come close to my capacity to achieve results with very little effort because they cannot even weave a believable lie, much less follow the rule of law,” she noted.
“Mga kababayan, this mini-trial in the Committee on Justice is true to form for some of its members: abuse and corruption appear to be the only things they are capable of. Let us remember that the first impeachment case itself was marred by allegations of bribery involving members of the HOR, and this second impeachment is no better,” Duterte emphasized.
Duterte also linked the issue to broader governance concerns, saying: “The failure of the administration to provide relief in this price crisis is not due to a lack of resources, but because public funds are being used for political maneuvering to avoid accountability for the most corrupt budget in our country's history.”
