2 hours ago
1
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Vice President Sara Duterte holds a press conference at the Office of the Vice President in Mandaluyong City on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, days after the House of Representatives moved to impeach her.
Philstar.com / Martin Ramos
MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker asked the House Committee on Justice to take custody of detained witness Ramil Madriaga to ensure his safety and availability for the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a statement on Thursday, Rep. Chel Diokno (Akbayan Partylist) sent a letter to the committee’s chair, Rep. Gerville Luistro (Batangas 2nd District), following the panel's determination that the impeachment complaints against the vice president were "sufficient in form and substance."
“May I also move that the custody of Mr. Ramil Lagunoy Madriaga, who appears to be a material witness in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, be transferred to the Committee on Justice, to ensure his safety and availability to testify before the Committee at the proper time,” Diokno said.
Madriaga, identified as a material witness in the case, is currently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig.
Who is Madriaga? Madriaga allegedly acted as the bagman and organizer for Duterte, according to his affidavit submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman in November 2025.
He claimed that he had delivered large sums of money to various individuals under Duterte’s instructions, a claim Duterte has repeatedly denied.
He is currently detained for kidnap-for-ransom cases.
Further documents sought. In addition to the custody request, Diokno moved for the issuance of “subpoenae duces tecum” to compel the production of various government records.
He emphasized that these documents are vital for the committee to decide if sufficient grounds for impeachment exist.
A subpoena duces tecum is also a summons, but the person is ordered to bring specific items relevant to the case.
Requested documents. Diokno is asking for the comprehensive trail of Duterte’s wealth and official conduct.
Diokno requested that the Office of the Ombudsman provide certified copies of Duterte’s financial disclosures spanning her entire public career, from 2007 to 2025, to allow the committee to fully review her declared wealth.
He further asked the Anti-Money Laundering Council to issue a sworn certification regarding any suspicious transactions linked to Duterte, her husband, or her father, to determine whether she possesses unexplained assets or has failed to accurately report her holdings.
Additionally, Diokno sought all investigative materials from the National Bureau of Investigation concerning alleged threats made by Duterte against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
According to Diokno’s statement, the Committee on Justice is expected to deliberate on these requests next week.
He added that approving these motions would signal the start of the formal evidentiary phase, using compulsory processes to secure testimony and official records.
