House to scrutinize Madriaga testimony
Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon on Sunday said the House of Representatives would coordinate with the court, as well as the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), to ensure the safety and attendance of detained witness Ramil Madriaga in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Ridon, who chairs the House committee on public accounts, made the pronouncement after clarifying that legal jurisdiction over Madriaga rests with the court as well as the BJMP.
“I think Congress will have to coordinate with the court and the BJMP to secure the safety of Mr. Madriaga,” Ridon said in a statement.
This developed after Madriaga’s sworn affidavit was submitted as part of the impeachment complaints and Ridon was cited as the most significant new development in the current impeachment case.
In the affidavit, Madriaga, the Vice President’s alleged former aide, claimed he personally delivered large amounts of money to various individuals on Duterte’s instruction when she was still education secretary.
“We will look at all of these allegations, particularly the new allegations of Ramil Madriaga with a very critical eye. Because it is very important that everything he mentions, the allegations and the statements contained in his affidavit, be examined thoroughly,” he said.
However, Ridon clarified that the House committee on justice, of which he is also a member, must first determine the sufficiency in form and substance of the complaints against the Vice President before Madriaga can be called to testify.
But Duterte herself denied Madriaga’s claims when he filed his sworn statement last December.
“I do not have a personal relationship with Ramil Madriaga, nor have I ever given him instructions of any kind. I have never visited him in prison, nor have I spoken to him about anything at any time,” she said.
“He is now disseminating false statements to government authorities as part of a concerted effort to obstruct and undermine my possible candidacy for president,” Duterte said.
