Not all congressmen believe that detainee-turned-witness Ramil Madriaga is the biggest smoking gun ever presented against impeachment respondent Vice President Sara Duterte.

For House Assistant Minority Leader and Bagong Henerasyon (BH) Party-list Rep. Robert Nazal Jr., there's a basic question of credibility about Madriaga--an alleged former bagman of the Vice President--that must be addressed.

As such, Nazal prodded the House Committee on Justice--the panel conducting the impeachment hearings against Duterte--to exercise heightened scrutiny over the testimony and affidavit of witnesses.

He underscored the need to uphold truth, fairness, and integrity in the ongoing impeachment proceedings.

“Ang impeachment ay hindi lamang proseso ng pananagutan—ito ay proseso ng katotohanan (Impeachment is not only a process of accountability—it is also a process of truth),” Nazal stressed.

Nazal cited public records indicating that the witness, Madriaga, was a detainee at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig, in connection with a pending kidnapping-for-ransom case.

According to the party-list lawmaker, such circumstances may have implications on the witness’ motive and credibility.

He further pointed out that Madriaga has allegedly been linked to serious criminal activities, including being identified by authorities as a high-value target and a reported leader of a kidnapping group.

“These are not raised to prejudge the witness, but to underscore that credibility matters—especially in proceedings of this magnitude,” Nazal said.

The ranking solon also highlighted significant gaps in the affidavit, including lack of detail, absence of corroborating evidence, and inconsistencies in the source of attached materials.

Nazal questioned claims involving alleged directives from high-ranking officials, noting the absence of documentary proof, written orders, or independent witnesses to support such allegations.

“Kung seryoso ang mga alegasyon, dapat seryoso rin ang ebidensya—may malinaw, specific, at napapatunayang facts (If the allegations are serious, then the evidence must also be serious—clear, specific, and based on provable facts),” he added.

Nazal emphasized that impeachment proceedings demand more than mere allegations, stressing that evidence must be credible, substantial, and verifiable.

He called on his colleagues to carefully weigh the testimony and affidavit of the witness with due diligence and prudence. “The Filipino people deserve a process that is fair, thorough, and anchored on truth."

The current wave of justice panel hearings are being held for the determination of probable cause on the two active impeachment raps against Vice President Duterte.