Defense spokesperson lawyer Michael Poa on Monday said that the filing of the second perjury complaint by Vice President Sara Duterte against Ramil Madriaga, who claimed to be her former bagman, does not have a major impact on the impeachment trial.
In a press briefing shortly after the Day 16 of the trial, Poa stressed that the defense remain focused on upcoming cross-examinations in the impeachment proceedings, even if the prosecution plans to include Madriaga, who faced the second perjury complaint filed by Duterte at the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office.
‘We don’t see any major impact pagdating sa atin, we don’t see any major impact on the impeachment trial. Meaning, ang ibig sabihin non, if they are not present…we will have to cross-examine in accordance with our plan,’ Poa said.
‘Sa atin naman, yan naman ay nakahain pa lang sa fiscal no? So for evaluation pa ‘yan. So sa atin, we will just go on with our plan na kung ipepresent naman sila [Madriaga], meron kaming plinano diyan pagdating sa cross-examination,’ he furthered.
Madriaga faced another perjury complaint, under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code, in connection with his supplemental affidavit dated April 11, 2026.
The first perjury complaint against Madriaga was filed in March.
In an affidavit submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman, Madriaga claimed he had delivered large sums of money to various individuals, as instructed by the Vice President.
Duterte denied giving Madriaga ‘instructions of any kind’ and that she visited him in prison, nor have spoken to him.