Madriaga’s testimony eyed for fresh impeach raps vs. VP Sara

The testimony of Ramil Madriaga, an alleged former civil intelligence agent of Vice President Sara Duterte and her father, is being considered as a possible basis for a new impeachment complaint against the vice president.

According to Jonathan Andal’s report on 24 Oras Weekend on Sunday, lawmakers are just awaiting the lapse of the period until February 6 before deciding whether or not they will refile the complaint or lodge a new impeachment complaint against the Vice President.

ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. Antonio Tinio said some groups and individuals are waiting for the Supreme Court to decide on the complainants’ appeal, which seeks to overturn a previous ruling that declared the original articles of impeachment against Duterte unconstitutional.

“Kung sakaling mag-reconsider ang Supreme Court sa decision niya, ibig sabihin nito magpapatuloy na yung trial sa Senado, hindi na kailangan mag-refile (If the Supreme Court reconsiders its decision, the Senate trial will proceed and there will be no need to refile)," he said.

"Pero kung sakaling hindi pa lumabas ang desisyon by February, then maguusap ang mga complainants at malamang mag-decide na mag-refile (But if the decision hasn’t been released by February, the complainants will discuss and will likely decide to refile)," Tinio added.

The lawmaker said the main focus of a possible new complaint would remain on the alleged misuse of confidential and intelligence funds.

However, the complainants are also considering Madriaga’s testimony, which included allegations that drug dealers and Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) funded Duterte’s 2022 election campaign.

“May mga binanggit doon na maaring kaugnay sa paggamit sa confidential and intelligence funds (There were things mentioned there that could be related to the use of confidential and intelligence funds),” Tinio said.

In 2025, 215 congressmen endorsed the articles of impeachment against Duterte. This move, however, was scuttled after the Supreme Court ruled that the successive complaints filed against the vice president violated the one-year ban on impeachment complaints.

Tinio expressed confidence that similar support could be gathered if a new complaint were to be filed against Duterte.

“Tingin ko makakakuha pa rin ito ng one-third support, dapat lang. Dahil nanatiling valid, legitimate, at nangangailangan ng pananagutan yung tanong ng kababayan natin: Anong nangyari doon sa confidential funds?” said Tinio.

(I think this will still get one-third support—as it should. Because our fellow citizens’ question remains valid, legitimate, and in need of accountability: What happened to those confidential funds?)

He added: “Pero kung hindi na makuha ang one-third, ano ba, nagbago na ba ang ihip ng hangin? (But if the one-third support can no longer be met, well, have conditions changed?)."

GMA Integrated News has reached out to Duterte for comment and will update this story once her camp issues a response.

Duterte, however, has earlier dismissed pronouncements of a new impeachment complaint against her, saying this scheme was again being dangled as a bargaining chip before the passage of the 2026 national budget.—Vince Angelo Ferreras/MCG, GMA Integrated News