Sara Duterte impeachment: Panelo calls Madriaga 'weakest link'
Vice President's camp says allegations lack credibility, vows to dismantle claims
Published Apr 14, 2026 04:31 pm
Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged former aide and “bagman,” Ramil Madriaga, appears before the House Committee on Justice during impeachment hearings on April 14, 2026, at the House of Representatives People’s Center in Quezon City. (Manila Bulletin / Santi San Juan)
Vice President Sara Duterte’s camp on Tuesday, April 14, pushed back against allegations in the impeachment case, with legal counsel Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. branding accuser Ramil Madriaga as the “weakest link.”
In a statement, Panelo said the Vice President’s defense has been strengthened following Madriaga’s latest submission, which he described as failing to counter the “clear and convincing evidence” already presented in Duterte’s perjury complaint.
“Our assessment that Ramil Madriaga would be the weakest link in the impeachment case was fully vindicated today,” Panelo said.
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Irrelevant, immaterial
Panelo emphasized that the affidavit submitted by Madriaga did not directly address the core issues raised by Duterte’s camp. Instead, he said it focused on “irrelevant and immaterial matters,” including claims that had already been debunked.
“As expected, Madriaga failed to address — because he could not address — the clear and convincing evidence presented by the Vice President in the perjury complaint that proves he is a fraud,” Panelo added.
The defense also questioned the credibility of Madriaga’s allegations, particularly those involving supposed cash deliveries and instructions relayed through prepaid phones.
“Further, he only presented evidence on irrelevant and immaterial matters, including those already debunked in the perjury complaint, with his core allegations of cash deliveries and instructions through phone calls on prepaid phones conveniently and fatally unverifiable,” Panelo said.
'See through the lies'
Duterte’s camp argued that the affidavit underscores what it described as the implausibility of the allegations.
Panelo also raised doubts over claims that top officials, including former President Rodrigo Duterte, would entrust sensitive security and intelligence matters to an individual allegedly outside official military or police channels.
He further cited reports linking Madriaga to a kidnapping-for-ransom group flagged by the Philippine National Police as one of the country’s most dangerous criminal syndicates.
Despite the accusations, the Vice President’s legal team expressed confidence in their case, saying they welcome further scrutiny and are prepared to challenge the claims in subsequent proceedings.
“The majority of Filipinos will see through the lies,” Panelo said, as Duterte’s camp reiterated its stance that the allegations do not hold up against the evidence already submitted.
The exchange marks the latest development in the impeachment proceedings, with Duterte’s camp maintaining that the case against her continues to weaken.
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