Philippine VP Duterte spent P125 million in 24 hours, witness claims during impeachment hearing

The office of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte spent the P125 million (Dh7.8 million) in confidential funds not in 11 days but in just under 24 hours, a whistleblower claimed at the ongoing impeachment hearing in Manila.

Ramil Madriaga, in an affidavit he read before the House of Representatives Committee on Justice on Tuesday (April 14), said he was ordered by Duterte to deliver the amount to three main recipients in separate locations in December 2022.

Madriaga said he was ordered by Duterte to go to the Department of Education (DepEd) central office where he and a certain Colonel Nolasco were met by a Gina Acosta and a Colonel Lachica, aides of then DepEd secretary Duterte, and given three duffel bags containing piles of cash.

The duffel bags contained from P30 million to P35 million each, Madriaga claimed.

They were then told to deliver the bags to the Office of the Ombudsman and a comedy club in Timog Avenue in Quezon City, and in San Pablo, Laguna.

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The recipients allegedly included former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, Duterte’s military aides, and a Laguna province politician.

Madriaga also said he was told to take his cut from a duffel bag he delivered to the parking lot of the Office of the Ombudsman where he took P1 million.

Madriaga said the deliveries were made mostly made aboard his personal vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser FJ SUV.

VP Duterte denies knowing Madriaga

Duterte said in reports that the confidential funds were given to thousands of recipients from all over the country.

Some names in Duterte’s report, however, were red-flagged including one named 'Mary Grace Piattos'.

In an earlier affidavit, Duterte also denied knowing Madriaga or having any personal or professional dealings with the witness.

Madriaga, however, said he is the founder of the “Inday Sara Duterte is my President (ISIP) Pilipinas” in support of her plans to run as President, a move instructed by the vice president herself.

In his statements in Congress, Madriaga also presented photos where he and Duterte appeared, including photos of Duterte presiding over ISIP Pilipinas meetings.

Madriaga is currently detained on charges of human trafficking filed by former Rodrigo Duterte presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.