Jamaine Punzalan

Akbayan Partylist Rep. Chel Diokno during the first regular session of the 20th Congress at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 28, 2025.   Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

20th CONGRESS- OPENING SESSION

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177328024317420250728-20th-congress-chiel-diokno-JC0450.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Akbayan Partylist Rep. Chel Diokno during the first regular session of the 20th Congress at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 28, 2025. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATED)</strong> - The House Committee on Justice has been asked to take custody of Ramil Madriaga “to ensure his safety and availability to testify” in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.</p><p>Akbayan Party List Rep. Chel Diokno made the motion in a March 5 letter addressed to House panel Chairperson Gerville Luistro, noting that Madriaga is a “material witness” in the impeachment proceedings against Duterte.</p><p>Three other congressmen, Representatives Leila de Lima, Percival Cendaña, and Kaka Bag-ao, seconded Diokno’s motion, and signed his letter.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/23/sara-duterte-visited-teves-not-alleged-bagman-madriaga-remulla-1416">Sara Duterte visited Teves, not alleged bagman Madriaga – Remulla</a></div><p>Madriaga, who claimed to be Duterte’s alleged former bagman, is currently detained in a jail facility in Taguig City for alleged kidnapping. The Vice President previously denied Madriaga’s claim.</p><p>“It is intended just to make sure that with or without threats, his testimony… is preserved and he can appear before the committee so that we can assess kung ano talaga ‘yung alam niya at… kung credible siya bilang witness. Kung iba-base natin sa lumabas na affidavit, mukhang mayroon nga siyang alam tungkol sa mga nangyari doon sa issue ng confidential funds,” Diokno explained in an interview.</p><p>Duterte’s legal counsel, Atty. Paolo Panelo reiterated that they want Madriaga “alive and well” so he can testify.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/5/madriaga-threatened-inside-jail-lawyer-says-1720">Madriaga threatened inside jail, lawyer says</a></div><p>“If transferring his custody to the House of Representatives ensures that, then we welcome the move,” he said in a statement.</p><p>“No amount of the expected biased questioning from the House Justice Committee, composed mostly of the Vice President&#x27;s enemies, can overcome Madriaga&#x27;s fabrications or salvage his inexistent credibility,” Panelo added.</p><p>In the same letter, Diokno urged the committee to immediately compel the production of key records he said are necessary “to fulfill its mandate of evaluating the evidence in order to decide if sufficient grounds for impeachment exist.”</p><p>He asked the House panel to suboena duly certified true copies of Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth for 2022 to 2025, 2007 to 2013, and 2016 to 2022, as well as the National Bureau of Investigation’s records on its investigation into Duterte’s alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.</p><p>Diokno also sought a subpoena duces tecum from the House panel for the Anti-Money Laundering Council to submit a certification under oath on whether it has any records involving covered and or suspicious transactions linked to Duterte, including “accounts in her name, accounts in the name of spouses Sara Zimmerman Duterte and Manases “Mans” Reyes Carpio, accounts in the name of Duterte and Rodrigo Roa Duterte, and other related accounts”.</p><p>“Dapat kasi malaman ng taumbayan ang buong katotohanan. Kaya nais natin tiyakin na lahat ng ebidensya at iba pang dokumento, at iba pang mahalagang papeles ay ligtas at nasa pangangalaga ng Committee on Justice,” Diokno said.</p><p>The two impeachment complaints found by the House panel to be “sufficient in form and substance” accused the Vice President of amassing unexplained wealth and material non-disclosure in her SALNs, among other allegations.</p><div><strong>CONFLICT OF INTEREST?  </strong></div><p>Some congressmen, meanwhile, are divided on whether there is conflict of interest in the inclusion of Atty. Michael Poa and Atty. Reynold Munsayac in Duterte’s legal team for the impeachment proceedings against her.</p><p>“Si Mr. Poa… siyempre naging bahagi rin po siya noong po mga high-level work with the Vice President. Si Mr. Munsayac, siya po ‘yung Assistant Secretary for Procurement, and doon po sa mga previous hearings po ng Kongreso, in-identify po siya ni Undersecretary Gloria Mercado na kasama po doon sa mga nakiusap sa kanya relating to a procurement process. So, I think very relevant po na makita kung mayroon bang conflict of interest ito pong dalawang mga abugadong ito in their capacity as a lawyer and in their future capacity as resource persons or witnesses,” Bicol Saro Party List Representative and House Committee on Justice member Terry Ridon said.</p><p>“Ako bilang abogado, wala akong nakikita ng issue… Kahit nga akusado, you can represent yourself. What more a witness? So, I don&#x27;t see any conflict there,” Marikina 2nd District Representative Miro Quimbo, for his part, said.</p><p>“I think it&#x27;s a big blunder na ihaharap sila bilang mga lawyers samantalang sila mismo ay madaling maipit at magamit laban sa Bise Presidente mismo, kung gagawin silang testigo,” ACT Teachers Party List Representative Antonio Tinio noted.</p><p>“While there&#x27;s nothing to prevent them from entering an appearance, it&#x27;s only the members of the committee who can participate in the committee deliberations. .. Let&#x27;s say saka-sakaling umabot ito sa Senado at magkaroon ng impeachment trial, that might be the more appropriate time to raise this,” Diokno said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/5/sara-duterte-given-10-days-to-answer-impeachment-complaints-1154">Sara Duterte given 10 days to answer impeachment complaints</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/4/sara-duterte-says-impeachment-proceedings-not-a-priority-of-her-office-1031">Duterte not monitoring impeachment hearings: ‘Hindi ‘yan ang prayoridad ng OVP’</a></div><div><iframe width="726" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u1iAaVAbCRg" title="Luistro explains difference between Marcos, Sara Duterte impeachment raps | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <iframe width="726" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1KG4FPVNeFE" title="Eyewitness testimonies could strengthen impeachment case vs Sara Duterte, says law expert | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <iframe width="726" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SnFn1IiHaq4" title="Full announcement: Supreme Court affirms Sara Duterte impeachment unconstitutional | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno has asked the House Committee on Justice to assume custody of Ramil Madriaga, a detained individual who had claimed to be a bagman of Vice President Sara Duterte.</p>

Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno has asked the House Committee on Justice to assume custody of Ramil Madriaga, a detained individual who had claimed to be a bagman of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Diokno asks House panel to take custody of Madriaga for Sara Duterte impeachment proceedings

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Diokno asks House panel to take custody of Madriaga for Sara Duterte impeachment proceedings

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 12, 2026 09:56 AM PHT

|

Updated March 12, 2026 11:59 PM PHT

Read More:

Madriaga

Chel Diokno

Sara Duterte

Duterte impeachment

impeachment

House of Representatives

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