The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday dismissed allegations made by Ramil Madriaga, who identified himself as her former aide and supposed bagman, describing his claims as “pure fiction.”

In a statement, Duterte's legal counsel Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. responded to a handwritten declaration by Madriaga, who alleged that former president Rodrigo Duterte had plans to remove President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. from office in 2025.

Panelo said the new allegations could even strengthen the vice president’s defense.

“This is precisely what I meant when I said that the more Ramil Madriaga speaks, the better it becomes for Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense,” Panelo said.

He dismissed Madriaga’s claims of a supposed term-sharing deal, ouster plot, and assassination plans against President Marcos as "pure fiction."

“His allegations of a secret term-sharing agreement, planned ouster, and assassination plots against PBBM are pure fiction, and not even remotely believable,” he added.

Panelo stressed that they are prepared to refute each accusation, saying Madriaga’s appearance before the House justice panel would only expose what he described as a lack of credibility.

“If the need arises, we will be happy to refute each delusional claim point by point with evidence — something that has eluded all his allegations, past and present,” he said.

“I have repeatedly said that making Madriaga testify would just reveal his lack of credibility and expose his lies,” he added.

Panelo further said Madriaga had already undermined his own claims even before formally testifying.

“He has now succeeded in doing exactly that even before uttering a single word under oath in the House Justice Committee,” he said.

Madriaga is currently at the Batasang Pambansa complex to testify in an impeachment hearing against the Vice President before the House Justice Committee.