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MANILA, Philippines — Former colleagues tried to bribe Ramil Madriaga with P500 million to P1 billion in exchange for his silence on Vice President Sara Duterte’s links to drug dealers and offshore gaming operators who bankrolled her campaign in 2022.
This was according to Madriaga’s lawyer, Raymund Palad in an interview yesterday with “Storycon” on One News.
Palad revealed that the alleged bribe attempt happened before Feb. 14 this year. The lawyer, however, is unsure whether these people are Madriaga’s former law school classmates at San Sebastian College or co-members of ISIP Pilipinas.
“To quote the words of Ramil, ‘500 million to one billion pesos. You don’t need to recant, but just don’t testify. Name your price, it’s up to you,’” Palad said. Madriaga rejected the offer outright.
Madriaga will soon file a court petition to have him transferred to another jail after a “minor confrontation” with another inmate that he believed was an indication of heightened security risks.
Madriaga, who has been detained since 2023 at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig for allegedly kidnapping two Chinese nationals in 2022, got into an altercation Tuesday night with a detainee from the general population prohibited from interacting with him.
Palad said his client has one hour daily from 5 to 6 p.m. of “free time” to walk around the facility. During that time, all other detainees should stay inside their respective jail cells.
“When Madriaga came out from his control gate, a detainee, who disguised himself by wearing a basketball uniform, appeared on the side and poked him on his waist,” Palad said.
“When the detainee appeared to be grabbing something on his back, Madriaga pushed him away and shouted for help,” he added.
The detainee, according to Palad, ran back to his cell but was eventually identified.
It is unclear why the detainee attempted to confront Madriaga. According to Palad, he was only transferred from Pasay to Camp Bagong Diwa two weeks ago.
Operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation investigated the matter on Wednesday after one of Madriaga’s lawyers, Mark Anthony Te, wrote to NBI Director Melvin Matibag to probe the incident urgently.
Madriaga’s camp will use the affidavit to ask a Manila court that committed him to Camp Bagong Diwa to have him transferred elsewhere.
“We may request detention at the NBI facility at Building 14,” Palad said, referring to the bureau’s facility inside New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa. “He may also be detained at Camp Aguinaldo.”
For now, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology has added another control gate to Madriaga’s jail cell to ensure his protection. The detainee who confronted him and all those who share a jail cell with him are now transferred to another part of the facility.
He has no official communication yet with the House of Representatives, which would coordinate with the court and BJMP to ensure his safety and attendance in impeachment-related hearings, according to Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon.
Palad said his client is prepared to face whichever investigating body requires his presence.
“I said to him that, naturally, there will come a time when he will be called to testify. He said he is prepared to face the Ombudsman, the House or the Senate to affirm the veracity of his affidavit despite the filing of perjury and cyber libel charges against him,” the lawyer said.
“Madriaga will not back down because the affidavit is the truth,” he stressed.
Opposition Rep. Leila de Lima – an arch critic of detained president Rodrigo Duterte – said Madriaga is as credible as two of their whistleblowers whose testimonies were acknowledged in the International Criminal Court.
