House prosecution panel weighs presenting Ramil Madriaga in VP Sara's impeachment trial

The House Prosecution Panel in Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial is weighing whether or not to present Ramil Madriaga, the man who claims to have been a former aide of the Vice President and who allegedly delivered cash to some individuals for the official.

Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, the lead prosecutor, said presenting Madriaga in the trial depends on the testimony of the witness who will testify before him.

"Si Ramil Madriaga ay bahagi ng list ng prosecution’s witnesses. Kung iprerepresenta siya o hindi ay nakadepende sa testimonya ng mga mauunang witnesses. Kung mako-cover na ng testimonya ng mga unang witnesses ang testimonya ni Ramil Madriaga, posibleng hindi na," Luistro said.

"Masusi at regular na pinag-aaralan ng Prosecution ang mga susunod na iprerepresentang testigo. Ang intensyon ng Prosecution ay mapabilis ang trial kung kaya iniiwasan na magprisinta ng witnesses na kalabisan, paulit-ulit at hindi na kailangan," she added.

A counsel to the panel of prosecutors today said they may not present some witnesses after the Senate Impeachment Court took judicial notice of the proceedings and transcripts of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, which conducted hearings on the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education under VP Duterte.

"Siguro not to preempt, mababawasan ng testimony or witnesses pero meron kaming mga necessary witnesses na hindi puwedeng tanggalin," Atty Lorna Kapunan said in a press conference today.

Kapunan said that they will still present "necessary witnesses" such as Department of Education Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda and Office of the Vice President Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio.

"The prosecution and the House leadership will have to discuss the remaining witnesses. Kasi sa palagay namin, apart from these two, meron pang mga necessary witnesses kagaya ng pag-identify," Kapunan said.

"Sino ba? Totoong tao ba yung mga nasa acknowledgement receipts? Alam nyo na nag-present kami ng 4,492 documents at karamihan noon ay acknowledgement receipts," she added.

Duterte had denied Madriaga's claims and had filed a second perjury complaint against her alleged former aide.

“The complaint, consisting of approximately 1,000 pages, thoroughly exposes Madriaga’s malicious and deliberate falsehoods with sworn testimonies of the Vice President herself and 12 corroborating witnesses, government and other official documents and certifications, and contemporaneous messages, photographs, and public records,” said Duterte's legal counsel, Salvador Panelo.–NB, GMA News