Impeachment Heats Up: House Wants Custody of Sara Duterte's Alleged Bagman Madriaga
The impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte just got more intense. Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno has formally requested that Ramil Madriaga — the alleged former bagman of Sara Duterte — be transferred from his detention cell at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig to the custody of the House committee on justice. The reason? To ensure his 'safety and availability' as a key witness.
Diokno made the request in a letter dated March 5, right after the committee found the impeachment complaints filed by Fr. Joel Saballa and lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera 'sufficient in form and substance.' Madriaga himself earlier claimed there had been an attempt on his life while in detention — making the custody transfer request even more urgent.
Beyond the custody issue, Diokno is also pushing for subpoenas on Sara Duterte's Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth from 2007 to 2025 — covering her entire career in public service. He also wants the Anti-Money Laundering Council to produce records of any suspicious transactions linked to Duterte, her husband Manases Carpio, and even her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Interestingly, Duterte's camp says they have no problem with the transfer. Lawyer Paolo Panelo said the VP herself wants Madriaga alive and able to testify so he can 'reveal himself to the world as a fraud.' Madriaga had previously claimed that drug dealers and offshore gaming operators bankrolled Duterte's 2022 campaign — explosive allegations that both sides seem eager to air out in public.
The committee is expected to discuss the custody request next week. With SALN records, AMLC reports, and NBI investigation files all being sought, this impeachment case is shaping up to be one of the most document-heavy political proceedings in recent Philippine history.
Source: Philstar.com
