Politics

Sara Duterte Fires Back: Files Perjury Case Against Alleged Ex-Aide Who Linked Her Campaign to Drug Money

Tabloid PH Newsdesk

Mar 4, 2026 — 1 min read

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Vice President Sara Duterte isn't taking the accusations lying down. On Wednesday, she marched into the Taguig City Prosecutor's Office and filed a perjury complaint against Ramil Madriaga, the man who claims to be her former aide and who alleged that her 2022 presidential campaign was bankrolled by drug dealers and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

"Naghain ako ng kasong perjury laban kay Ramil Madriaga upang tuluyang mapanagot siya sa kanyang mga kasinungalingan," Duterte said in a statement, making it clear she wants Madriaga held accountable for what she calls outright lies. She was accompanied to the prosecutor's office by her legal counsel, Paolo Panelo Jr.

Madriaga's allegations first surfaced in December 2025, when he claimed that drug dealers and POGO operations funded the "Inday Sara Duterte is My President" (ISIP) Pilipinas national campaign and other parallel groups that supported Duterte's presidential bid. His claims have since been incorporated into the impeachment complaints filed against the Vice President in the House of Representatives.

For her part, Duterte has consistently denied even having a personal relationship with Madriaga. She has instead accused him of being a tool used to undermine her potential plans to run for president in 2028. "Hindi maaaring hayaang gamitin ang mga imbentong kwento upang linlangin ang publiko," she added — essentially saying she won't allow fabricated stories to deceive the Filipino people.

Madriaga, for his part, has previously expressed willingness to testify in congressional investigations and the impeachment proceedings. The perjury case adds another legal dimension to the already complicated political battle surrounding Duterte, who faces multiple impeachment complaints on top of this latest courtroom showdown with her accuser.

Source: GMA News

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