House panel subpoenas Trillanes in VP Sara impeachment probe

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MANILA, Philippines — The House Committee on Justice on Tuesday, April 14, issued a subpoena directing former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to appear and submit documents in connection with the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.

During the hearing, Leila de Lima moved for the issuance of a subpoena ad testificandum and duces tecum, requiring Trillanes to attend the April 22 hearing and produce documents related to alleged ill-gotten wealth and the non-disclosure of assets in Duterte’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

“I respectfully move for the issuance of a subpoena ad testificandum and duces tecum to former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, requiring him to appear at the next hearing on April 22, 2026, and produce documents relative to the alleged ill-gotten wealth and non-disclosure of assets in the SALNs of the vice president,” De Lima said.

According to De Lima, Trillanes’ testimony would be “very relevant,” citing his earlier appearances in House Quad Committee hearings and his inclusion in one of the impeachment complaints against the vice president.

The motion was approved by the panel.

Madriaga alleges ‘sabotage’ directive vs Trillanes

The subpoena came amid testimony from self-confessed Duterte associate Ramil Madriaga, who claimed that former president Rodrigo Duterte had ordered surveillance and “sabotage” operations against Trillanes during his administration.

Madriaga said he was instructed to “monitor, operate and sabotage” the former senator, adding that the former president was allegedly reluctant to order his killing due to Trillanes’ connections within the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The allegation adds another layer to the long-running tensions between Duterte and Trillanes, who has been a persistent critic of the former president and has supported cases filed before the International Criminal Court over the war on drugs.

In a separate incident in November 2024, a House quad-committee hearing was briefly disrupted after former president Rodrigo Duterte confronted Trillanes over allegations involving supposed bank accounts tied to drug money. The session was suspended after Duterte, visibly angered, made threatening gestures and attempted to throw a microphone in Trillanes’ direction, later apologizing for his actions. — with a report from Jean Mangaluz