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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Alleged VP Duterte-Teves link bared by solon in impeachment hearing

Alleged VP Duterte-Teves link bared by solon in impeachment hearing

Published Mar 25, 2026 11:34 pm

At A Glance

  • A purported connection between impeachment respondent Vice President Sara Duterte and former Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. was floated during the House Committee on Justice's public hearing Wednesday, March 25.
Former Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (Facebook)
Former Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (Facebook)


A purported connection between impeachment respondent Vice President Sara Duterte and former Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. was floated during the House Committee on Justice's public hearing Wednesday, March 25.
This detail was brought up by Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno even as he sought to ensure the security and safety of impeachment witness, detainee Ramil Madriaga.
Madriaga--currently incarcerated at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Taguig City--is an alleged bagman of the Vice President's, as per his affidavit that was leaked to media last year.
Also being held at the same penal facility is Teves, who is implicated in the 2023 broad-daylight assassination of political rival, then-Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.
According to Diokno, Madriaga--who is being treated as a crucial witness in the impeachment case against the Vice President--has been fearing for his life behind bars.
“Napaparanoid na rin po ako kasi posible rin ito mangyari na lasunin ako. Halos hindi na ako mapakali kuminsan at hindi ko maiwasan magduda na rin sa mga fellow PDLs (persons deprived of liberty) at kahit po mismo sa mga jail officers dahil sa pagsiwalat ko ng issue kay VP Sara Duterte,” Diokno said, as he quoted Madriaga’s affidavit.
(I’m becoming paranoid because it’s possible that I could be poisoned. At times I can hardly settle down, and I can’t help but grow suspicious even of fellow PDLs and even of the jail officers themselves, because of my disclosure of the issue involving VP Sara Duterte.)
Diokno claimed before the justice panel that the threats against the particular inmate “have already escalated".
“According to his affidavit, on March 3, 2026, a detainee with a pending homicide case attempted to forcibly drag Mr. Madriaga into a confined bodega area within the jail,” bared the lawyer-solon.
“According to Mr. Madriaga, and I quote, ‘Ayon sa mga naririnig ko sa loob ng kulungan, ang bodegang ito ay sinasabing pinagawa ni dating Congressman Arnie Tevez. Isa sa mga informasyon na nakuha ko ay si Cong Arnie Tevez ang gusto magpatumba sa akin,'” Diokno said.
(From what I’ve heard inside the prison, this warehouse is said to have been built by former Congressman Arnie Tevez. One piece of information I obtained is that Cong. Arnie Tevez is the one who wants to take me down.)
Diokno further claimed that Duterte once dropped by BJMP-Taguig last Oct. 19 to visit the detained Teves. However, the neophyte congressman was quick to point out that he wasn't trying to insinuate anything.
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno (Facebook)
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno (Facebook)
“Just to be clear this is not intended to accuse anyone I’m merely raising a concern in our quest to find the truth, if we allow a witness to be intimidated, hurt or God forbid, killed, then we fail in our constitutional mandate,” Diokno stressed.
For her part, Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said it would be premature for anyone to question Madriaga’s credibility as a witness at this stage in the impeachment process.
“He's not yet testifying. He will testify. And therefore, issues of credibility can be raised in the questioning, in the clarificatory questioning. Mr. Madriaga can be asked about those things during the hearing, the proper stage of the hearing, but not at this point,” d
De Lima said.
The lady solon gave these remarks in response to Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez's description of Madriaga as a "polluted witness", mainly due to the alleged bagman's incarceration for kidnapping charges.

Related Tags

Ramil Madriaga Arnolfo teves Sara Duterte impeachment Chel Diokno
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