Sara hits critics’ ‘silence’on cash deliveries to pols

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March 6, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte yesterday questioned the “deafening silence” of civil society groups, the Church and lawmakers to allegations raised by 18 men who claimed to be former Marines, that they delivered suitcases containing billions of pesos to certain politicians.

“The silence of civil society groups that used to be quick to issue statements, of religious leaders who are willing to stand up on issues of morality, and of lawmakers who say they are for transparency and accountability is deafening,” Duterte said in a statement.

The 18 individuals talked about the alleged cash deliveries during a press conference organized by lawyer Levi Baligod in San Juan last Tuesday. They supported the testimony of Orly Guteza, who alleged before a Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing last year that he had brought suitcases filled with money to some officials. Several quarters immediately belittled the 18 ex-soldiers’ exposé for inconsistencies, including the inclusion of now congresswoman Leila de Lima on the list of politicians who received money. De Lima was not yet a member of Congress when the alleged delivery of cash took place.

“While the allegations against me were immediately made the center of hearings, privilege speeches, and relentless fishing expeditions under investigations supposedly in aid of legislation, the silence now seems deafening,” Duterte said.

The House committee on justice on Wednesday declared the two impeachment complaints filed against Duterte sufficient in substance.

“There seems to be no interest or immediate action from the current administration to investigate the truth regarding the billions in bribes related to flood control, the ICC (International Criminal Court), and the impeachment efforts against me,” the Vice President noted.

With 54 affirmative votes, one negative vote from Quezon City 4th district Rep. Bong Suntay and zero abstention, the justice panel led by Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville Luistro declared the impeachment complaints filed by a group led by Father Joel Saballa and by lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera sufficient in substance.

“Anger over the issue of corruption should not be selective. You can’t just choose who to investigate. And one cannot remain silent when those involved are close to power. The nation’s money should not be placed in a suitcase, and the truth should not be placed in silence,” Duterte said.

Baligod claimed the total amount of money delivered by the bagmen might have hit P805 billion. The funds were allegedly meant for ICC investigators in the country who were then gathering evidence against former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2023.

“I am impressed by the courage of former congressman Zaldy Co’s former security personnel who dared to speak out about the alleged delivery of suitcases full of billions of pesos in government funds,” Duterte said.

Former chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo, meanwhile, denied the Vice President was behind the death threats against her alleged former bagman Ramil Madriaga. Panelo was reacting to Madriaga’s lawyer’s request for the National Bureau of Investigation to probe an alleged attempt to kill his client currently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

“VP Sara has nothing to do with any death threats to Madriaga, and we join any calls to provide him with additional protection,” Panelo said.

“We want him alive and in the pink of health because he’s the only one who can admit that he made up his testimony against the Vice President, and identify his handlers,” Panelo added.

On Wednesday at the height of the House justice committee hearing on her impeachment case, the Vice President was at the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office to file a perjury complaint against Madriaga.

“If he stands firm on his testimony, we want him to come forward and add details to his overly general and obviously fabricated accusations, so we can shatter his testimony even more,” Panelo said.

The latest impeachment complaint against Duterte made use of Madriaga’s admission that he had personally delivered huge sums of money to Duterte’s chief security aide during the May 2022 presidential elections.

Madriaga had claimed that drug lords and Chinese-sponsored Philippine offshore gaming operators bankrolled Duterte’s campaign for vice president.