The House prosecution panel has officially excluded Ramil Madriaga, an alleged confidential-fund bagman, and Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, a former Office of the Vice President (OVP) security officer, from its witness lineup in the ongoing Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Former Surigao del Norte 2nd District Representative Robert Ace Barbers, who acts as an adviser to the prosecution panel, verified the decision during an online briefing on Friday, September 4, as the proceedings approached their third month.
Lachica was previously implicated in handling ₱500 million in confidential funds for Duterte, while Madriaga—a long-time aide to the Duterte family—was viewed as a critical witness due to his purported knowledge regarding the management of these funds.
“Si Colonel Lachica ay hindi na, at si Mr. Madriaga ay hindi na…So wala nang Madriaga, wala nang Lachica,” Barbers told reporters.
Madriaga had drawn significant attention after claiming familiarity with the Vice President’s handling and distribution of confidential allocations.
Explaining the rationale behind dropping Madriaga, Barbers stated that earlier testimonies had already supplied adequate proof to support the claims outlined under Article I of the impeachment complaint.
“The three allegations in this article have already been substantiated by the previous witnesses na iniharap, ’yun nga ’yung sinasabi natin sa misuse, misappropriation, at saka irregular liquidation,” Barbers added.
Closing Arguments on Article I
The prosecution panel is entering the final stage of presenting evidence for Article I, which accuses Duterte of mismanaging, misappropriating, and irregularly liquidating ₱612.5 million in confidential funds. The figure includes ₱500 million designated for the OVP and ₱112.5 million allocated to the Department of Education (DepEd).
Barbers emphasized that the existing testimony submitted by the prosecution is more than enough to prove the charges, rendering additional witnesses unnecessary.
“Sa prosecution panel, with the witnesses na iniharap, napatunayan na po natin ’yan… So there is no need for additional witnesses like Col. Lachica, Col. [Dennis] Nolasco, and Madriaga,” Barbers said.
Nolasco served as Lachica’s counterpart within DepEd. Removing these individuals further streamlines the roster of witnesses as prosecutors aim to conclude their Article I arguments by September 9.
The impeachment trial, which commenced on July 6, has conducted 21 sessions to date.
Remaining Witness Roster
The Senate impeachment court previously issued subpoenas instructing Commission on Audit employee Bresilio Sabaldan, former DepEd Assistant Secretary Sunshine Cherry Fajarda, and Police Maj. Jovelyn Magay to deliver testimonies from September 7 to 9.
The prosecution team also named former DepEd Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) Eduard Fajarda and Philippine Statistics Authority official Marizza Grande as potential witnesses.
Barbers confirmed that the latest subpoenas requested by the team were limited strictly to individuals whose appearances are crucial to wrapping up their presentation.
“I think iyon na lamang iyong huli,” he stated.
Prosecutors may also decide to dispense with Eduard Fajarda’s testimony if the defense agrees to stipulate on uncontested facts regarding his official designation and responsibilities as DepEd’s SDO.
Should the defense refuse the stipulation, the prosecution will proceed with questioning the remaining witnesses during the final days allotted for Article I.