Madriaga willing to appear in probes vs VP Sara —lawyer

Ramil Madriaga, whose allegations were included in the second impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, is willing to participate in probes should he be called to appear by any of the investigating bodies, his lawyer said on Saturday.

At a news forum in Quezon City, Atty. Raymund Palad, Madriaga’s counsel, said that his client already anticipates that he might be called by the House, Senate or Ombudsman following his issuance of an affidavit.

“So ‘yung willingness niya is “yes,” basta maka-receive siya ng subpoena, ipatawag maga-appear po siya,” Palad said.

(Yes, he is willing. He will appear if he gets a subpoena.)

Madriaga’s testimony was included by Tindig Pilipinas in its impeachment complaint against Duterte, which was endorsed by ML Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima and Akbayan Rep. Percy Cendaña.

Madriaga, an individual who claims to be a former aide of Duterte, had alleged that drug dealers and POGO operations funded the Inday Sara Duterte is My President (ISIP) Pilipinas national campaign and other parallel groups. 

Duterte has since refuted having a personal relationship with Madriaga, alleging that he is working to undermine her possible plans to run for president. 

WPP

Amid supposed threats to his client’s safety, who has been detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-National Capital Region (BJMP-NCR) in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City since 2023 over a kidnapping case, Palad said that “we are exploring the possibility na mag-apply WPP (Witness Protection Program)” for safety.

The lawyer claimed that their camp received information from BJMP personnel that there is already a reward for his client’s head.

In one of the sections in his affidavit titled “confidential funds,” Madriaga detailed alleged instances wherein he delivered millions and even a billion in cash. 

Duterte on Saturday slammed the latest impeachment complaint filed against her, saying it has no attached evidence proving the allegations against her.

In her video message, however, the Vice President singled out the impeachment complaint endorsed by Akbayan.

“Ang impeachment complaint na inendorso ng Akbayan ay isang papel na walang kalakip na kahit anong ebidensiyang magpapatunay sa mga paratang na isinasaad dito,” she said.

(The impeachment complaint endorsed by Akbayan was a paper without any attached evidence that would prove the allegations it pertained to.)

“Hindi na ito bago. Matatandaan na ang impeachment laban sa akin ang naging sagot nila sa aking pag-alis sa Gabinete—isang hakbang na isinagawa dahil hindi na maipaliwanag ng Pangulo ang patuloy na pagkalugmok ng bayan sa kahirapan dulot ng kanyang kapabayaan at bisyo,” she added.

(This is not new. To recall, impeachment complaint was their response to me when I left the Cabinet— a move I did because the President can no longer explain the country’s continuous fall into poverty resulting from his negligence and vices.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News