Ramil Madriaga, testifying before the House Committee on Justice on Tuesday, alleged that he repeatedly delivered large sums of cash to high-ranking officials of the Office of the Ombudsman, including former Ombudsman Samuel Martires and Assistant Special Prosecutor Ryan Rey Quilala.
Madriaga claimed the deliveries were made upon the direct instructions of Vice President Sara Duterte and former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Previously and upon direct instructions of (Duterte) or (the Vice President), I have also delivered money to Ombudsman Samuel Martires or (Quilala), which I usually placed inside an open trunk of a designated car,” Madriaga said.
He recounted one specific instance on December 20, 2022, when he and his team transported two bags of cash to the Ombudsman’s compound in Quezon City.
According to him, the money was first taken from the Department of Education central office in Pasig City, brought to his residence in Cainta, Rizal, and later delivered to the Ombudsman’s parking area.
“When we arrived, the guard gave a signal directing us to park in a specific area in the (Ombudsman’s) parking lot. We proceeded to the specific area and parked the red Mazda sedan where the remaining two bags of money were placed,” he said.
“We left the keys on top of the left front wheel, which is our usual practice when delivering large amounts of money,” he added.
Madriaga said they then left the premises in a separate vehicle. He further claimed that, at Quilala’s request, he personally handed over ₱15 million directly inside the latter’s office.
“However, upon the request of (Quilala), I personally delivered (₱15 million) to him in his office at the Office of the Ombudsman,” Madriaga said.