VP Duterte files perjury complaint vs self-confessed bagman
Vice President Sara Duterte arrives at the Office of the City Prosecutor of Taguig City on Wednesday, March 4, to file perjury complaint against Ramil Madriaga, who claimed to be her former bagman. (OVP Photo)
Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, March 4, filed a perjury complaint against one of the witnesses in her impeachment complaint.
Duterte filed a complaint against Ramil Madriaga, who claimed to be her former aide who had delivered large amounts of money to various individuals upon her instruction, at the Office of the City Prosecutor of Taguig, where she was joined by lawyer Salvador Panelo.
"Hindi maaaring hayaang gamitin ang mga imbentong kuwento upang linlangin ang publiko (Invented stories cannot be allowed to be used to deceive the public)," the Vice President said in a statement.
Duterte cited how the International Criminal Court (ICC) allegedly depended on the invented stories by witnesses presented by former Senator Sonny Trillanes, including those of Arturo Lascañas and Edgar Matobato.
"Kung noon pa lamang ay kinuwestiyon at kinasuhan ang mga kasinungalingang ito, hindi sana nagamit sa ICC ang mga ito laban sa dating pangulo (If only these lies had been questioned and charged back then, they would not have been used in the ICC against the former president)," she said.
The Vice President claimed that the House of Representatives is repeating the same "tactic" of using what they call a witness.
"Si Madriaga ay isang akusado sa kasong kidnapping na nagpanggap na campaign supporter at mula roon ay biglang lumitaw bilang testigo kuno sa impeachment laban sa akin (Madriaga is an accused in a kidnapping case who pretended to be a campaign supporter, and from there, suddenly emerged as a so-called witness in the impeachment against me)," she said.
"Dahil dito, ngayong araw ay naghain ako ng kasong perjury laban kay Ramil Madriaga upang tuluyang mapanagot siya sa kanyang mga kasinungalingan (Because of this, I filed a perjury case against Ramil Madriaga today to hold him accountable for his lies)," she added.