THE Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed the perjury complaint filed by Vice President Sara Duterte against Ramil Madriaga, the self‑confessed bagman at the center of allegations involving confidential funds.
In a resolution, the prosecution ruled that the complaint must be dropped for lack of prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty to conviction, effectively clearing Madriaga of the charge and ending the case at its preliminary stage.
Madriaga had previously come forward with sworn statements claiming to have acted as a courier for millions of pesos in confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President — allegations Duterte and her legal team vehemently denied.
The Vice President filed the perjury complaint, arguing that Madriaga’s statements were false and fabricated. However, after reviewing the evidence submitted by both sides, the Taguig prosecutor found that the available records fell short of the threshold required to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
The dismissal means Duterte’s accusation that Madriaga lied under oath will not move forward to trial. The ruling underscores the difficulty of proving perjury when conflicting sworn statements lack independent corroboration. Madriaga’s allegations remain a key strand in the broader impeachment inquiry against the Vice President, but the perjury complaint filed in response has now been formally closed by the city prosecutor.
metrosundaily
