THE camp of Vice President Sara Duterte dismissed on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, the latest testimony of Ramil Madriaga, calling him the “weakest link” in the impeachment case against the latter.
In a statement, Duterte’s legal team said their earlier assessment of Madriaga had been “fully vindicated,” asserting that he failed to rebut what they described as “clear and convincing evidence” presented in a perjury complaint against him.
The Vice President’s camp accused Madriaga of focusing on “irrelevant and immaterial matters,” including allegations they said had already been debunked in earlier filings.
“Further, he only presented evidence on irrelevant and immaterial matters, including those already debunked in the perjury complaint; with his core allegations of cash deliveries and instructions through phone calls on prepaid phones conveniently and fatally unverifiable,” lawyer Salvador Panelo said.
They further cast doubt on Madriaga’s background, citing reports that he had been linked to criminal activity and was allegedly identified by the Philippine National Police as a leader of a kidnapping-for-ransom group.
Duterte’s camp argued that it was implausible for top government officials to entrust “sensitive security and intelligence matters” to someone outside the military and police chain of command, particularly an individual with such alleged links.
“Majority of the Filipino people will see through the lies and the performance, but we relish the opportunity to dismantle his claims once again,” Panelo added.
Madriaga’s testimony forms part of the ongoing impeachment proceedings being heard by the House Committee on Justice, which is tasked with determining whether complaints against Duterte have sufficient basis to proceed to trial in the Senate. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)