Such a detailed story can't be fake.

Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre has come to the defense of detainee Ramil Madriaga, saying that the latter's supplementary affidavit on his allegations against impeachment respondent Vice President Sara Duterte are credible.

“Kung tutuusin, baka nga masyado pang maraming detalye ang naibigay niya. Imposibleng gawa-gawa ang ganitong klaseng salaysay. Dire-diretso ang kwento at malinaw na malalim ang alam niya,” Acidre said in a statement on Sunday, April 19.

(If you think about it, he may have even given too many details. It’s impossible to fabricate this kind of account. The story flows straight through, and it’s clear he has deep knowledge.)

Madriaga, an alleged bagman of Vice President Duterte's, appeared during the April 14 hearing of the House Committee on Justice.

During the hearing--which was for the determination of probable cause on the two active impeachment raps against the lady official--Madriaga read and submitted to the panel his 24-page sworn statement.

It was a more detailed retelling of his previous affidavit, which was leaked online and to the media last year.

Acidre said Madriaga’s account was bolstered by his close working relationship with the Vice President and her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte. He said this gave him direct knowledge of the transactions he described.

“Hindi ito galing sa labas o haka-haka lang. Siya mismo ang nagsasabing bahagi siya ng proseso, kaya may personal at direktang kaalaman siya sa mga pangyayari (This isn’t coming from outside speculation. He himself says he was part of the process, so he has personal and direct knowledge of the events),” Acidre, chairman of Committee on Technical and Higher Education, said.

The House leader also pointed out that Madriaga presented physical evidence, including checks and photos, to support his claims.

Some House members have questioned Madriaga’s motive and credibility, mostly because of his status as a detainee of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.

Acidre stressed that the affidavit goes beyond general allegations and instead provides specific, traceable details.

“Hindi ito puro paratang lang. May mga partikular na halaga, petsa, lugar, at paraan ng paggalaw ng pera. Kapag ganito ka-detalye, hindi mo basta masasabi na imbento lang (This isn’t just a string of accusations. There are specific amounts, dates, places, and methods of moving the money. With this level of detail, you can’t simply dismiss it as invention)."

In his affidavit, Madriaga described how cash was allegedly delivered and distributed, and how certain expenditures were justified under confidential fund use. Acidre said these assertions gain more weight when viewed alongside audit findings flagging deficiencies in the documentation and justification of confidential fund spending.

Acidre also noted that Madriaga executed his statements under oath and even submitted a waiver of bank secrecy. He says this indicates readiness to have his claims examined.

The Leyte-based solon said that while the allegations remain subject to full legal scrutiny, the testimony should be taken seriously.

“Kapag ang isang testigo ay nagbibigay ng tuloy-tuloy, malinaw, at detalyadong salaysay, obligasyon nating seryosohin ito. Dito magsisimula ang paglalatag ng katotohanan. When a witness provides a continuous, clear, and detailed account, we are obliged to take it seriously. This is where the laying out of truth begins)," Acidre said.

The justice panel is currently evaluating the evidence to determine whether or not there is probable cause to elevate the impeachment complaints against Duterte to the Senate impeachment court.