VP Duterte submits proof vs Madriaga’s claim of close ties in affidavit

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s camp on Monday submitted proof to debunk the claims of self-confessed bagman Ramil Madriaga that he had a close relationship with her.

Paolo Panelo, the vice president’s legal counsel, said this was contained in the 47-page reply-affidavit filed before the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office.

Duterte’s camp responded to Madriaga’s April 14 counter-affidavit over the 340-page complaint-affidavit for perjury she filed against him before the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office in March.

READ: Sara Duterte files perjury complaint vs alleged bagman Ramil Madriaga

“We were given the opportunity to file the reply or answer of VP Sara to the counter affidavit of Madriaga,” Panelo told reporters in an interview.

“So, for us, the counter affidavit of Ramil Madriaga, he was not able to answer the evidence that we submitted to the complaint affidavit of VP Sara, proving that what he is saying is not true,” he added.

Panelo said Madriaga was unable to substantiate his claims that he worked for Duterte since 2018; that he formed the Inday Sara Is My President (ISIP) Pilipinas movement upon her instruction; and that he brought large amounts of money, which later turned into confidential funds.

He said Duterte’s sworn testimony, “supported by seven corroborating witnesses and overwhelming corroborating documents,” shows that Madriaga’s allegations against her are false.

In his counter-affidavit, Panelo said Madriaga presented proof that he and Duterte know each other by showing a picture of a virtual meeting attended by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

However, Panelo said the picture does not prove Madriaga’s close relationship with Duterte, since 92 people attended the virtual meeting held on January 12, 2022, which was a “parallel meeting,” with ISIP Pilipinas among the attendees.

“The truth is, there were a lot of people attending, and he was not the one who organized that meeting,” Panelo said. “That is just one of the things that we found in the reply affidavit that proves that Madriaga is a liar.”

Madriaga testified during the impeachment proceedings before the House committee on justice on April 14 that he began serving Duterte as an aide when she was still Davao City mayor, and that he delivered large sums of money to various individuals on her orders.

Duterte has repeatedly denied the allegations. /mcm/cb