Who Is Ramil Madriaga?
As the House Committee on Justice begins its deliberations on the Sara Duterte impeachment complaints, one name keeps coming up as potentially the most important witness in the entire case: Ramil Madriaga. The problem? He's already behind bars — and getting him to a congressional hearing isn't as simple as sending a subpoena.
Madriaga is described in the impeachment complaints as the alleged "bagman" of Vice President Sara Duterte — the person who supposedly handled the movement and distribution of confidential and intelligence funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) when Duterte was still DepEd Secretary.
His sworn affidavit has been submitted as part of the impeachment complaints and is cited as one of the key pieces of evidence against the Vice President. If his testimony is credible and he can be made to speak before the committee, it could significantly strengthen the complainants' case.
Why Is He in Jail?
Madriaga is currently detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility in Taguig City — not because of anything related to the impeachment case, but because of a separate criminal case currently pending before a trial court.
This creates a jurisdictional problem. He is not a free person the House can simply summon. His physical custody belongs to the BJMP, and his legal custody belongs to the trial court handling his pending case. The House can't just pull him out of jail and bring him to a hearing without going through proper channels.
What "Coordinating With the Court and BJMP" Actually Means
Step 1 — The House must first ask the trial court. The court holding jurisdiction over Madriaga's criminal case has to formally allow him to leave the facility for a congressional hearing. This requires a court order.
Step 2 — The BJMP must physically release him for transport. Even with a court order, the BJMP facility needs to arrange for his safe transport and security detail during the hearing.
Step 3 — Timing matters. None of this can happen yet. The House committee must first rule that the impeachment complaints are "sufficient in form and substance" before it can begin calling witnesses. That process is still underway.
What Rep. Ridon Said
"We will coordinate with the court and the BJMP to ensure his safety and attendance in the proceedings." — Rep. Jocelyn Ridon
Rep. Raoul Manuel (Gabriela) and complainant-side representatives including Rep. Jocelyn Ridon have confirmed the House is aware of the procedural steps required and will work through proper legal channels.
The Bottom Line
Madriaga is not going anywhere — literally. But his potential testimony could be one of the most consequential moments in the entire impeachment process. The House is threading a legal needle: they need him, they know where he is, but they have to go through at least two separate government bodies just to put him on the stand.
For now, the committee is focused on whether the complaints even clear the first hurdle. Once that's settled, Madriaga's testimony — and the logistics of securing it — will likely become the next major flashpoint in the proceedings.
