Sara Duterte files second perjury complaint against alleged former aide

Photo credit: Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte filed a second perjury complaint against Ramil Madriaga on Monday, accusing her alleged former aide of making false statements about his purported role in handling confidential funds.

Duterte personally filed the complaint at the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office, accompanied by her legal counsel, Paolo Panelo.

Panelo said the complaint spans about 1,000 pages and includes Duterte’s sworn testimony, statements from 12 corroborating witnesses, government documents and certifications, as well as messages, photographs and public records.

The complaint is Duterte’s second perjury case against Madriaga. She filed her first complaint at the same prosecutor’s office on March 4 after Madriaga submitted an affidavit to the Office of the Ombudsman alleging that he delivered large amounts of money to various people under Duterte’s instructions.

Duterte has denied knowing or having professional dealings with Madriaga and rejected his claim that he served as her “bagman” or courier for diverted confidential funds.

Madriaga’s allegations

Madriaga drew attention in December 2025 when he told the Ombudsman that he had worked for the Duterte family, first with former President Rodrigo Duterte and later with the vice president.

He claimed he began working for Sara Duterte in 2018, when she was still Davao City mayor, and helped establish the Inday Sara Is My President Pilipinas movement.

Madriaga later appeared before a House justice committee hearing related to Duterte’s impeachment in April, where he detailed his alleged involvement in the distribution of P125 million in confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President in 2022.

He told lawmakers that he personally disposed of the money in less than 24 hours and alleged that four large bags containing about P30 million to P35 million each were used to transport the cash to different recipients.

Madriaga also claimed that he acted as a “dummy” for bank accounts allegedly connected to former President Duterte and that large sums of money were transferred through those accounts for intelligence operations and money laundering.

Duterte has denied the allegations.

Madriaga is currently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City while facing trial for an alleged kidnapping-for-ransom case.

Police arrested Madriaga and four other suspects in Cainta, Rizal, on July 12, 2023, in connection with the alleged kidnapping of cousins Mark and William Lu.

Authorities previously identified Madriaga as the alleged leader of a criminal syndicate. He also faced a kidnapping case in 1997 but was later acquitted by the Supreme Court.

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