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Lawyer for detained kidnapping suspect Ramil Madriaga says unidentified individuals allegedly offered money for silence as legal dispute with the Philippine vice president moves to prosecutors.
MANILA — Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has filed a perjury complaint against Ramil Madriaga, a detained kidnapping suspect who previously made allegations involving the vice president, as his lawyer claimed his client was allegedly offered between ₱500 million and ₱1 billion to remain silent about those claims.
Attorney Raymund Palad, Madriaga’s counsel, said in a television interview that unidentified individuals approached his client with offers of money if he would stop speaking publicly about statements contained in a sworn affidavit he previously submitted.
Palad said the individuals who allegedly made the offer were not identified, and the claim has not been independently confirmed by law-enforcement authorities. As of publication, no formal complaint regarding the alleged bribery attempt has been filed, and authorities have not announced an investigation into the claim.
Madriaga is currently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City in connection with a kidnapping case, according to Philippine law-enforcement records.
Affidavit submitted to Ombudsman
Madriaga drew national attention after submitting a sworn affidavit in late 2025 to the Office of the Ombudsman in which he made allegations concerning Duterte and claimed he had served as a courier, or “bagman,” who delivered cash related to political operations during an earlier period of her public career.
The allegations contained in the affidavit remain unproven and have not been established in court.
Vice president denies accusations
Duterte has categorically denied the allegations and has taken legal action against Madriaga.
On March 4, 2026, Duterte filed a perjury complaint against him before the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office, arguing that statements contained in his affidavit were false.
In remarks reported by Philippine media, Duterte said Madriaga had never been her aide, employee, or staff member, disputing the claims made in the affidavit.
Her camp has said the accusations are fabricated and politically motivated.
Case under prosecutorial review
Madriaga’s legal team has maintained that his affidavit was executed voluntarily and that he is prepared to defend the statements if the matter proceeds to court.
Philippine prosecutors will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to pursue the perjury complaint filed by Duterte.
For now, the dispute centers on competing claims from both sides: Madriaga maintains the statements in his affidavit are truthful, while Duterte maintains they are false and has sought criminal charges against him.
The alleged ₱500 million to ₱1 billion offer to remain silent remains unverified, and no individual or organization has been publicly identified as making the alleged offer.
