THE House of Representatives will coordinate with the court and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to ensure the safety and possible attendance of detained witness Ramil Madriaga in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, chair of the House Committee on Public Accounts and a member of the Committee on Justice, clarified that jurisdiction over Madriaga rests with the court, which is responsible for securing him, as well as the BJMP facility in Taguig City where he is currently detained.
“I think Congress will have to coordinate with the court and the BJMP para ma-secure po ‘yung safety ni Mr. Madriaga na kapag ho invited to the House he can actually in fact attend the proceedings,” Ridon said during the Saturday Media Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.
Madriaga, described in the impeachment complaints as the alleged “bagman” of the Vice President, is detained at a BJMP facility in connection with a separate criminal case pending before a trial court.
His sworn affidavit has been submitted as part of the impeachment complaints and is being cited as a key new piece of evidence.
According to complainants, the affidavit alleges that Madriaga acted as an intermediary in the supposed handling and movement of confidential and intelligence funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education (DepEd) when Duterte was still its secretary.
It reportedly details how certain funds were withdrawn or transferred, names individuals allegedly involved, and references documents meant to support claims that the transactions were carried out with knowledge or authority of the Vice President.
Ridon said the Madriaga affidavit represents the most significant new development in the current impeachment case.
“So we will look at all of these allegations, particularly the new allegations of Ramil Madriaga with a very critical eye. Kasi very important ho na ma-thoroughly [examine] lahat po ng mga babanggitin po niya na mga alegasyon at mga nakasaad sa kanya pong affidavit,” he said.
However, Ridon stressed that Madriaga cannot yet be called to testify, as the House Committee on Justice must first determine sufficiency in form and sufficiency in substance.
“At this point, siyempre ang kailangan po munang ma-surmount ng mga complainants and endorsers, ‘yun pong determination of sufficiency in form and substance,” he said.
He explained that if both thresholds are met, the Vice President will be formally given the opportunity to respond before full hearings begin.
“Magkakaroon na po ng formal proceedings and hearings po ang House Committee on Justice. Dito na po natin pwedeng ipatawag si Ramil Madriaga at pwede rin pong mag-request po ng additional documentation and iba pang mga papeles mula po sa iba’t-ibang mga ahensya po ng gobyerno,” Ridon said.
