Jamaine Punzalan

Vice President Sara Duterte announces her intention to run for the presidency in the 2028 national elections during a press conference at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

VP SARA DUTERTE

Job Manahan

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/177336625895020260218-vp-sara-duterte-presidency-MT5 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte announces her intention to run for the presidency in the 2028 national elections during a press conference at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATED)</strong> — Vice President Sara Duterte questioned Friday a lawmaker’s call for the House Committee on Justice to <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/12/diokno-asks-house-panel-to-take-custody-of-madriaga-for-sara-duterte-impeachment-proceedings-0956">take custody of Ramil Madriaga</a> “to ensure his safety and availability to testify” in the impeachment proceedings against her. </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>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 denied Madriaga’s claim and<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/4/sara-duterte-madriaga-perjury-complaint-0951"> filed a perjury complaint </a>against him last week. </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>“Even more disturbing is the treatment now being extended to Madriaga, an alleged kidnapper who fabricated an entire story,” Duterte said. </p><p>“The request that he be given special treatment in the House of Representatives is a grave insult to the minor victim who was traumatized by his criminal acts,” she said in a statement. </p><p>In a statement on Thursday, Duterte lawyer Paolo Panelo said they want Madriaga &quot;alive and well precisely so he can testify&quot; and, he said, be exposed as a fraud.</p><p>&quot;If transferring his custody to the House of Representatives ensures that, then we welcome the move,” Panelo said.</p><div> </div><div><strong>&#x27;REQUEST FOR RECORDS SHOWS COMPLAINTS LACK EVIDENCE&#x27;</strong></div><p>In his letter, Diokno also 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 subpoena duly certified true copies of Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) 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 her alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. </p><p>Diokno also sought a subpoena 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. </p><p>“This only reinforces what I have been saying all along. There is no sufficient evidence to warrant an impeachment case against me,” Duterte said of the proposed subpoenas. </p><p>“The Committee cannot conduct an investigation to search for evidence to support accusations already made in the impeachment complaints. Doing so would amount to a third ‘fishing expedition’ by the House of Representatives,” she added.   </p><p>“Now we are witnessing yet another desperate attempt to search for evidence where none exists. Let me say this again for the nth time: The impeachment is a political attack designed to protect certain individuals and advance personal and foreign interests,” the vice president asserted.     </p><p>In a statement Friday, Diokno said he respects Duterte&#x27;s opinion on the proceedings, saying also that his motion is meant to preserve documentary evidence and to make sure Madriaga is safe &quot;so the Committee on Justice can fulfill its duty of assessing the evidence.&quot;</p><p>He added Duterte &quot;has every opportunity to refute the allegations against her by submitting her answer and evidence.&quot;</p><p>He added: &quot;Sa huli, ang ebidensya ang magsasabi kung dapat may pananagutan. At ang impeachment proceeding ang tamang lugar para lumabas ang katotohanan.&quot;</p><p>(In the end, it will be the evidence that will determine liability. And the impeachment proceeding is the proper venue for the truth to come out)</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;GOV&#x27;T SHOULD FOCUS ON MIDDLE EAST CRISIS&#x27;</strong></div><p>Duterte also questioned House members&#x27; priorities, saying they appear focused on her impeachment despite the conflict in the Middle East and its potential impact on Filipinos abroad.</p><p>“Communities around the world are scrambling to protect their citizens and find solutions to shocks in the energy and commodities sectors. Yet the Philippine House of Representatives and the Office of the President remain preoccupied with a political nemesis who refuses to kowtow to their corrupt ways,” she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/12/house-seen-to-ok-emergency-powers-on-fuel-excise-tax-on-monday-1656">House seen to OK emergency powers on fuel excise tax on Monday</a></div><p>The Palace has distanced itself from the impeachment complaints as it did when Duterte was impeached last year.</p><p>Duterte said proceeding with the impeachment complaints against her are &quot;another insult&quot; to migrant Filipino workers, the poor, and to families “who may soon be pushed deeper into hardship as a result of war and its global consequences.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/9/palace-slams-sara-duterte-over-repatriation-remark-urges-her-to-base-opinions-on-facts-1344">Palace slams Sara Duterte over repatriation remark, urges her to base opinions on facts</a></div><p>Duterte, who in February <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/18/sara-duterte-to-run-for-president-1102">announced a 2028 presidential bid, </a>was impeached last year, only for the Supreme Court to toss the case out over procedural issues.</p><p>Under the Philippine constitution, an impeachment by the House of Representatives triggers a Senate trial, where a guilty verdict would ban Duterte from elected office for life.</p><p>The new impeachment complaints against her were ruled<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/2/house-sara-duterte-impeachment-sufficient-in-form-1325"> &quot;sufficient in substance&quot;</a> by a vote of 54-1 this month. She was given 10 days to <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/5/sara-duterte-given-10-days-to-answer-impeachment-complaints-1154">respond </a>before the start of a hearing of probable cause necessary to move the complaints to a House vote.</p><div><strong>— With a report from Agence France-Presse </strong></div><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div><div><iframe width="827" height="465" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bZvC39iLBX4" title="Sara Duterte itinangging kilala si Ramil Madriaga | TV Patrol" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="726" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tyhtVhRhW0U" title="Madriaga ready to testify in impeachment proceedings vs VP Sara | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Vice President Sara Duterte questioned Friday a lawmaker’s call for the House Committee on Justice to take custody of Ramil Madriaga “to ensure his safety and availability to testify” in the impeachment proceedings against her.</p>

Vice President Sara Duterte questioned Friday a lawmaker’s call for the House Committee on Justice to take custody of Ramil Madriaga “to ensure his safety and availability to testify” in the impeachment proceedings against her.

Sara Duterte slams ‘disturbing’ bid for House custody of Madriaga

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Nation

Sara Duterte slams ‘disturbing’ bid for House custody of Madriaga

Jamaine Punzalan,

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 13, 2026 09:51 AM PHT

|

Updated March 13, 2026 12:43 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

Duterte impeachment

impeachment

House of Representatives

Ramil Madriaga

Madriaga

Chel Diokno

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.