The House Committee on Justice, which is handling the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, will proceed to receive the testimony of witness Ramil Madriaga once he is presented by the complainants, despite a perjury charge filed against him by Duterte.
Committee chairperson, Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, assured in an online media interview that the perjury case would not derail the impeachment process.
“Regardless of the filing of the perjury case, the justice committee will simply proceed to its proceeding and will receive the testimony of Ramil Madriaga the moment he is presented by the complainant,” Luistro said.
She clarified that the perjury case is “a different forum” and separate from the impeachment proceedings.
Madriaga’s affidavit has been cited in the impeachment complaints filed this year against Duterte.
On Wednesday, March 4, two of these complaints were declared sufficient in form and substance, advancing the process to the stage where the Vice President must formally respond to the allegations.
“We will simply proceed with the proceedings of the justice committee,” Luistro added.
Perjury is an offense of willfully telling an untruth in a court after having taken an oath or affirmation.
Madriaga–described in the impeachment complaints filed this year as the alleged “bagman” of the Vice President–is detained at a BJMP facility in connection with a separate criminal case pending before a trial court.
His sworn affidavit has been submitted as part of the impeachment complaints and is being cited as a new piece of evidence, since the 2025 impeachment raps against Duterte didn’t include it.
According to complainants, the affidavit alleges that Madriaga acted as an intermediary in the supposed handling and movement of confidential and intelligence funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) when Duterte was still its secretary.
It reportedly details how certain funds were withdrawn or transferred, names individuals allegedly involved, and references documents meant to support claims that the transactions were carried out with knowledge or authority of the Vice President.
Madriaga also claimed in his affidavit that Vice President Duterte’s election campaign effort in 2022 was funded with money from Philippine Offshore and Gaming Operators (POGO) and drug dealers. (Ellson Quismorio)
