In 2024, Vice President Sara Duterte was flamed for spending P125 million in confidential funds in just 11 days. Yet now, a former bagman of the Duterte administration proved the said allegations wrong.
Instead of 11 days, he revealed that it was all gone in less than a day.
During the second House Committee on Justice’s meeting on the impeachment complaints against the Vice President on Apr. 14, alleged former Duterte admin associate Ramil Madriaga made a shocking testimony, where he disputed that Duterte's confidential funds were liquidated in just nearly 24 hours.
He detailed this while he read out a supplemental affidavit describing how fund disbursement was made, through an event that occurred on December 20, 2022 — where he claimed that he was ordered to collect and deliver money from the second-in-command.
This comes after Madriaga heard news reports about the confidential funds being spent in only 11 days, citing that he liquidated it all in just one day.
“A few years later, I read from several media reports that the P125 million OVP confidential funds in 2022 were reportedly utilized in just eleven days. This is wrong because I personally disposed of the money in less than 24 hours,” he said.
HOW IT HAPPENED
During his testimony at the House, the former bagman attested that he was contacted by the VP, saying that he was to deliver the amount in three locations separately — namely in San Pablo, Laguna, the Nightstrip Comedy Club in Quezon City, and the Office of the Ombudsman.
He said that Duterte described in the call that it was a plan to disburse cash to her allies in a way of “giving back.”
“In the morning of December 20, 2022, Sara called me, and she said, ‘Sir Ram, please coordinate with Col. Nolasco. Meron tayong deliver sa San Pablo, Laguna, sa Nightstrip, at sa Ombudsman.’” Madriaga said, with the Vice President later remarking “Bawi tayo sa kanila,” in the message that followed.
Originating from the Department of Education (DepEd)’s Central Office in Pasig City, he, along with Duterte’s security aides were given four bags of cash each by Gina Acosta, the OVP’s special disbursement officer.
Each bag contained an alleged P30 million to P35 million, with him and security aides Col. Dennis Nolasco and Col. Dante Lachica, being given a share of P1 million each.
He described these while referring to talks on the OVP’s proposed 2024 budget in September 2023, where former Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo confirmed the 11-day use of the P125 million fund.
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DUTERTES
In the hearing, Madriaga also described his relationship with the Duterte family, alleging that he was introduced to Rodrigo Duterte by former Parañaque Rep. Rolio Gomez when he supported his 2016 presidential bid.
He adds that he was later assigned to a position in the National Security Council, however, he was not paid through official channels, with him being later assigned by the former president to the official campaign of then mayor Sara Duterte for the Vice Presidency in 2022.
Furthermore, he said that he was asked to “profile individuals” who were associated with his daughter, due to her being the then president’s favorite instead of Rep. Paolo Duterte and Davao Mayor Sebastian Duterte.
The alleged bagman’s affidavit in the justice committee’s hearing was “long-awaited” by many sectors, saying that he was the “missing piece” when it comes to alleged misuse of confidential funds by the OVP.
However, VP Duterte has filed complaints of perjury against Madriaga, denying his allegations and naming him in a list of a kidnap-for-ransom group that was planning to kidnap her.
Written by Francis Santos, Insight PH
Francis Santos, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
