‘New impeachment vs Sara may include alleged bagman’s affidavit’

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

January 2, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Civil society members and complainants in the four consolidated impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte are keen on having the case “re-filed and augmented” after the one-year ban rule lapses next month, a militant lawmaker has disclosed.

“The decision will be made by the complainants, there are many of them from civil society. We will be ready to endorse it. Most likely it will be re-filed and augmented by the new information that has come to light,” said Rep. Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers party-list, referring to the latest expose of whistleblower Ramil Lagunoy Madriaga – a detainee at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

In a sworn affidavit, Madriaga claimed he served as Duterte’s “bagman” and that the campaign funds she used in the May 2022 presidential elections were derived or sourced from drug lords and operators of Philippine offshore gaming operators or POGO from China.

“They’re already talking among themselves and preparing for that eventuality,” Tinio said over ANC, refuting perceptions that time is not on their side, considering that President Marcos is past the middle of his term.

“There’s still two whole years. So there’s always time. There’s still time if they want. We will decide to file another impeachment complaint at the proper time,” he added, noting that the Supreme Court ruling prohibiting it has not reached finality yet.

“The appeal is still with the SC. We don’t know if we can proceed to trial. Who knows the SC will come out with the decision (on the motion for reconsideration) before February 2026?” he asked.

The SC, in a unanimous ruling, declared in July 2025 that the Duterte impeachment was invalid.

Tinio acknowledged the critical timeline they are in, noting that the time after 2026 will be an unofficial campaign period and a new leader, whether sympathetic to Duterte or not, will soon replace President Marcos.

“At some point, the President, BBM, will enter his definitive lame duck period and it is fast approaching. That’s a fact that we have to consider,” Tinio, part of the four-member Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives, said.

Opposition lawmaker Leila de Lima earlier urged Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla to check the veracity of the allegations made by Duterte’s alleged bagman.