The House prosecution team remains unaffected by Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s new perjury complaint against confessed bagman Ramil Madriaga as it decides whether to present him as a witness in her impeachment trial, according to prosecution spokesperson Atty. Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr.
“That will not be a determining factor in our decision as to whether or not we will call him,” Tolosa said.
Tolosa explained that the panel’s primary consideration is evaluating if Madriaga can offer essential evidence regarding Article I, the alleged misuse of confidential funds, that has not already been proven by prior witnesses. Madriaga became a potential trial witness after providing sworn testimony during the House impeachment inquiry detailing how the Vice President’s confidential funds were allegedly managed and disbursed.
While acknowledging Duterte’s right to pursue legal options against Madriaga, Tolosa reaffirmed that it bears no weight on their strategic evaluation. “Well, she’s free to file these complaints and resort to legal remedies that she may deem fit. But what we’re saying is it will not affect our decision,” he noted.
To streamline trial proceedings and prevent repetitive testimony, the prosecution continually reassesses its witness list after each appearance. “Again, our decision will be solely based on whether his intended testimony has already been covered by the other witnesses,” Tolosa explained.
If the panel deems his account vital to filling remaining evidentiary gaps, Madriaga will be called before the senator-judges. “If we think his statement would still be essential for us to prove our case, then we’ll put him on the stand. But if not, we would not waste any more time on him,” Tolosa added.
This efficiency-first strategy mirrors the prosecution’s approach during the presentation of Article IV, which centered on Duterte’s alleged assassination threat against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., where several planned witnesses were dropped once core facts were established.
“Every time we present a witness lagi kaming nagkakaroon ng assessment kung na-hit na ba ‘nung targets yung concurrent witnesses para ma-evaluate namin, kailangan pa bang i-presenta yung mga susunod na testigo,” Tolosa said.