THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said Wednesday, April 29, 2026, that Vice President Sara Duterte attempted to visit Ramil Madriaga, who claimed to be her former aide, in detention.
During the resumption of the impeachment hearings against Duterte by the House Committee on Justice, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said that, based on their investigation and as confirmed by the then jail warden, Duterte tried to visit Madriaga at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City on two occasions.
“We were informed by Madriaga na ayaw niya, ayaw niyang humarap. At the same time, nung nangyari ‘yon, ang pinuntahan niya si Arnie Teves,” said Matibag.
(We were informed by Madriaga that he did not want to face her. At the same time that this happened, she went to see Arnie Teves.)
The NBI chief said they have requested a copy of the security footage of Duterte’s visit to the said facility and have also issued a subpoena to the BJMP for the submission of a copy of the logbook, which will show the Vice President’s visit.
Matibag said they also received a report that someone tried to harm Madriaga.
“Naestablish po na meron talagang isang detained prisoner na bagong lipat pa lang ay nag-attempt na saktan po si Madriaga,” he said.
(It was established that there was indeed a detained prisoner, newly transferred, who attempted to harm Madriaga.)
Madriaga is detained for kidnapping-for-ransom charges.
In his affidavit submitted to the House Committee on Justice amid the impeachment hearings against Duterte, Madriaga made the following claims against Duterte:
Links lawyer Manases Carpio, Duterte’s husband, to the controversial 2018 shipment of magnetic lifters found to contain billions worth of illegal drugs
He was used as a conduit for millions of pesos in bank transactions of several people close to former President Rodrigo Duterte, including funds he said were intended for “intelligence operations” and laundering
The controversial Pharmally Pharmaceuticals and former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang were among those who funded the 2022 campaign of Vice President Sara Duterte
Links the Dutertes to a plot to unseat and execute President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
That the P125 million confidential funds of the Department of Education (DepEd) were spent in less than 24 hours on the order of then Education Secretary Duterte (TPM/SunStar Philippines)