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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ridon gives Panelo a reality check after 'weakest link' tirade on impeachment witness Madriaga

Ridon gives Panelo a reality check after 'weakest link' tirade on impeachment witness Madriaga

Published Apr 13, 2026 08:10 am

At A Glance

  • Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon gave lawyer Paolo Panelo a reality check after the latter described witness Ramil Madriaga as the supposed "weakest link" in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (PPAB)
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (PPAB)


Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon gave lawyer Paolo Panelo a reality check after the latter described witness Ramil Madriaga as the supposed “weakest link” in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
According to Ridon, it simply wasn't Panelo's place to comment on the impeachment proceedings being carried out by the House Committee on Justice.
“Well una po sa lahat, sino ba si Atty. Panelo dito sa impeachment proceedings. Si Atty. Panelo ay abogado lang po ng Vice President sa kanyang perjury case so I don’t think meron po siyang poder para magbigay ng komentaryo doon sa pagtahakbo ng defense panel strategy dito sa usapin po na ito,” Ridon said.on Sunday afternoon, April 13.
(Well, first of all, who is Atty. Panelo in these impeachment proceedings? Atty. Panelo is only the Vice President’s lawyer in her perjury case, so I don’t think he has the authority to comment on the defense panel’s strategy here.)
“Ang dapat po nagsasalita diyan ay myembro po ng Duterte defense panel sa impeachment proceedings, hindi po ‘yung abogado… para sabihin niya na weakest link si Mr. Madriaga,” the party-list solon said matter-of-factly.
(What should be speaking there is a member of the Duterte defense panel in the impeachment proceedings, not the lawyer… to say that Mr. Madriaga is the weakest link.)
Panelo criticized the detained Madriaga's status as witness ahead of the justice committee's scheduled impeachment hearing Tuesday, April 14, which the latter was expected to attend.
Panelo is the son of Salvador Panelo, former chief presidential legal counsel and spokesperson of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, Ex-president Duterte is the Vice President’s father. 
In his affidavit that was leaked last year, Madriaga claimed that Vice President Duterte’s election campaign effort in 2022 was funded with money from Philippine Offshore and Gaming Operators (POGO) and drug dealers.
He also alleged to have acted as the Vice President's bagman and made multi-million peso cash deliveries. He is currently detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Taguig City.
On criticisms that Madriaga’s affidavit lacks detail, Ridon says no one is barred from clarifying or supplementing his or her testimony--something that the witness would likely do on Tuesday.
“Wala hong pumipigil sa kahit sino… na magdadagdag mga detalye para magbigay ng aktual na katotohanan sa mga paratang,” said the lawyer-legislator.
(No one is stopping anyone… from adding details to provide actual truth to the accusations.)
Ridon also rejected claims that the justice panesl was biased against the Vice President.
“Alam po ninyo ‘yung House Justice Committee ay magpapatupad po ng kanya pong mandato dito po sa impeachment… Kasi ‘yan ang itinatadhana ng ating Konstitusyon, ating rules at lahat ng umiiral na jurisprudence,” he said.
(You know, the House Justice Committee will carry out its mandate in this impeachment… Because that is what our Constitution, our rules, and all prevailing jurisprudence provide.)

Related Tags

Terry Ridon Impeachment Sara Duterte Bicol Saro Party-list Weakest link Ramil Madriaga Paolo Panelo
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