Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima believes that Ramil Lagunoy Madriaga's allegations about Vice President Sara Duterte are serious enough to warrant an investigation from the Office of the Ombudsman and Department of Justice (DOJ).

De Lima, a lawyer and former DOJ secretary, is speaking from the point of view of someone who has interviewed Madriaga--a former Duterte family aide--inside his jail cell at the Bureau af Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Bicutan, Taguig City.

"Ang gusto ko rin sabihin dito ay since seryoso itong mga alegasyon na ito, then it is worth looking into, for example, by the Office of the Ombudsman (What I also want to say here is that since these allegations are serious, then it is worth looking into, for example, by the Office of the Ombudsman)," she said over the weekend.

De Lima was referring to the contents of Madriaga affidavit, notarized last Nov. 29, that she was able to get a hold of a week ago. The document has since been leaked online.

In it, Madriaga claimed that Vice President Duterte’s election campaign in 2022 was bankrolled with money from Philippine Offshore and Gaming Operators (POGO) and drug dealers. He also claimed to have acted as the lady official's personal courier for cash drops reaching millions of pesos.

According to De Lima, she managed to interview Madriaga for around two hours last Dec. 8 at BJMP in the presence of the latter's counsel, lawyer Raymund Palad.

"I received a copy of the affidavit at syempre nakita ko, napaka-sensitibo, napakabigat ng kanyang mga akusasyon laban, hindi lang laban kay VP Sara kundi mayroon din siyang mga sinasabi tungkol sa dating Pangulo," she said of Madriaga, an alleged ex-intelligence officer of the previous Duterte administration.

(I received a copy of the affidavit and of course I saw it, it is very sensitive, very serious in its accusations, not only against VP Sara but also containing statements about the former President.)

"Mayroon siyang nabanggit na mga personalidad, mayroon siyang nabanggit na mga alleged delivery of big sums of money, mga duffle bags, yung mga nasa sasakyan na tinu-turnover," noted the deputy minority leader.

(He mentioned certain personalities, he mentioned alleged deliveries of large sums of money, duffle bags, the money inside vehicles being turned over.)

"That's the most that can be done at this point, the appropriate body whether it's the DOJ,, NBI (National Bureau of Investigation), Ombudsman, tignan nila, busisiin nila itong mga akusasyon na ito kasi seryosong mga akusasyon ito kasi tungkol sa POGO funding the candidacy of VP, drug money allegedly funding the candidacy of VP Sara," she said.

(They should look into and scrutinize these accusations because these are serious accusations, since they concern POGO allegedly funding the candidacy of the VP, and drug money allegedly funding the candidacy of VP Sara.)

When it comes to Madriaga, De Lima said that credibility was the main concern. However, she made a distinction between the person and the story that person was telling.

"Kailangan din po itong imbestigahan kasi napaka-seryoso ng mga alegasyon. Like I said, I'm reserving my judgement...kasi ang ano dito, again, is about the credibility (This also needs to be investigated because the allegations are very serious. Like I said, I am reserving my judgment… because what this is about, again, is credibility).

"Credibility of the person and the credibility of the story. There may be issues on the credibility of the person, but what about the story?" she said.

"Kasi ang nakikita ko...sa tingin ko, doon sa information din na kinourse through the counsel is na-establish in a satisfactory manner yung kanyang relationship sa mga Duterte, kay VP Sara," the ML Party-list solon

(Because what I see… in my view, based also on the information coursed through the counsel, is that his relationship with the Dutertes, with VP Sara, was established in a satisfactory manner.)

De Lima went on to mention seeing "evidence" during the limited time she spent with Madriaga. She said the latter also vowed to show more proof in the coming days.

"Mayroon siyang parang, parang may mga pinakita na mga ebidensya ng kanyang koneksyon kay VP Sara and the Dutertes. Mas una nga niya nakilala yung dating Pangulo kasi siya ang nagpakilala, ang dating Pangulo, kay VP Sara...nung mayor pa si VP Sara," she said.

(He seemed to have presented some evidence of his connection with VP Sara and the Dutertes. In fact, he first met the former President earlier, because it was he who introduced the former President to VP Sara… back when VP Sara was still mayor.)

"So in my view, as to the subject or the issue of his connection to the Dutertes, mukha namang mayroon siyang pinapakita na batayan. Pero ang hinihintay ko, ang gusto kong makita, is yung supporting proof nung kanyang akusasyon (It seems that he is showing some basis. But what I am waiting for, what I want to see, is the supporting proof of his accusation)."

At any rate, the former senator said she was still "validating" Madriaga's affidavit.

"Ongoing po ang aking validation of his claims (My validation of his claims are ongoing), but I'm very interested about the supporting proof."