Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon has challenged Vice President Sara Duterte to personally attend the House Committee on Justice’s impeachment hearings and respond to allegations raised against her by witness Ramil Madriaga.
Ridon issued the call after Duterte released a statement dismissing Madriaga’s claims, particularly the allegation that she needed assistance to finish law school.
“Mas mainam na sa House impeachment hearings niya banggitin mismo ang mga kontrang pahayag na ito, imbes na sa mga press statement at sa mga press conference ng kanyang mga abogado,” Ridon said.
He emphasized that Duterte retains the right to appear before the committee and present evidence to counter the accusations.
“Muli, nagpapatuloy ang karapatan ng Pangalawang Pangulo na dumalo sa mga pagdinig ng House Committee on Justice sa impeachment proceedings laban sa kanya upang makapaglahad ng kanyang mga ebidensiya sa lahat ng mga paratang sa kanya,” he added.
The Justice panel has scheduled its next hearing for April 22.
During Tuesday’s session, Madriaga testified that Duterte struggled academically in law school, citing accounts from Assistant Special Prosecutor Ryan Rey Quilala, whom he described as one of her professors at San Sebastian College of Law.
“He (Quilala) shared with me that Sara was not particularly good in school, was often struggling with her academics, and habitually rude and violent to other students. Hence, Atty. Ryan used his influence in SSC-Law to ensure that Sara received passing grades despite her poor academic performance,” Madriaga said.
In response, Duterte denied the allegations, stressing that she graduated without special accommodations and was never the subject of complaints for rudeness or violence at SSC-R College of Law. She also described Madriaga as a “bar flunker and kidnapping suspect.”