THE affidavits and testimony of self-confessed “bagman” Ramil L. Madriaga help fill a critical “missing link” in the flow of confidential funds tied to Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, particularly on what happened after the money left government custody.
This was the assessment of Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua, chair of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, also known as the House Blue Ribbon Committee, which earlier conducted a full investigation into the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds—P500 million under the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and P112.5 million under the Department of Education (DepEd)—when Duterte headed both offices.
The findings from that probe have since fed into the ongoing impeachment proceedings before the House Committee on Justice, which is now in the evidentiary phase to determine whether probable cause exists to elevate the complaints to a full trial before the Senate.
Chua said earlier House inquiries hit a dead end after Special Disbursing Officers (SDOs) Gina Acosta and Julieta Villadelrey testified that they turned over funds to Col. Dennis Nolasco and Col. Raymund Dante Lachica of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), who were assigned to secure the vice president.
“Si Ramil Madriaga, lumalabas siya lang naman ‘yung missing link doon sa kwento,” Chua, who is a member of the Committee on Justice, said in a Bilyonaryo News Channel interview.
“Kasi there was the statement of two SDOs na sinabi nila they handed the money to Colonel Nolasco and Colonel Lachica. Now, after giving it to Nolasco and Lachica, what happened next? ‘Di ba ‘yan ang laging question?” he added.
Chua said Madriaga’s affidavit attempts to address that gap.
“So ngayon, based dito sa affidavit ni Madriaga, ito nangyari,” he said. “Binigay dito, binigay dito, binigay dito.”
He stressed that the alleged transfer of funds to military officers raises accountability issues, as they are not authorized to disburse confidential funds.
“Now, who is Colonel Nolasco? Who is Colonel Lachica? Eh wala naman silang… they’re not connected. They’re not even connected to OVP and DepEd kasi AFP sila eh. Ang trabaho nila is to secure the vice president, not to disperse [funds],” Chua said.
Chua pointed out that responsibility for confidential funds is clearly defined, with strict parameters on their use.
He said such funds must be spent only for authorized purposes, with accountability resting on the head of the agency—such as the vice president in the OVP or the education secretary in DepEd—and the SDOs, who are entrusted with and responsible for the release of the funds.
“Sila (SDOs) dapat na nagdi-disperse. But if I remember it correctly, during the committee hearing, we asked the SDOs, kanino niyo binigay? And they have no idea,” Chua said.
Chua said that even without Madriaga’s testimony, concerns over the handling of confidential funds remain.
“Now, tanggalin natin si Ramil Madriaga, mag-i-stand pa rin ba ‘yung complaint? May issue pa rin kasi,” he said.
The House Committee on Justice is currently determining whether probable cause exists to elevate the impeachment complaints to a full trial before the Senate.
