Courtesy: Office of the Vice President
VICE President Sara Duterte has taken legal action against Ramil Madriaga, her former aide, by filing a perjury complaint on Wednesday. Madriaga had previously claimed that Duterte’s campaign was financed by drug dealers and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), allegations Duterte strongly denies.
“Dahil dito, ngayong araw ay naghain ako ng kasong perjury laban kay Ramil Madriaga upang tuluyang mapanagot siya sa kanyang mga kasinungalingan,” Duterte stated. (Today, I filed a perjury complaint against Ramil Madriaga so that he will be held accountable for his lies.) She emphasized that false stories should not be used to mislead the public, saying, “Hindi maaaring hayaang gamitin ang mga imbentong kwento upang linlangin ang publiko.”
The complaint was filed with the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office, with Duterte accompanied by her legal counsel, Paolo Panelo Jr., according to Manny Vargas’s report on Super Radyo dzBB.
Madriaga’s claims, made in December 2025, alleged that drug dealers and POGO operations funded Duterte’s “Inday Sara Duterte is My President” (ISIP) Pilipinas campaign and other parallel groups. These allegations have been included in an impeachment complaint against Duterte, who has also expressed willingness to testify.
Duterte has vehemently denied any personal relationship with Madriaga, asserting that his accusations are part of an effort to undermine her potential bid for the presidency.
