Metro Manila, Philippines – Former President Rodrigo Duterte and supporters from the military allegedly considered moves to oust President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., including assassination plans, a self-confessed bagman for Vice President Sara Duterte said.
Ramil Madriaga made the accusation at the House justice committee holding the impeachment hearing on Tuesday, April 14.
Madriaga said there was a supposed agreement between the Marcos and Duterte camps to share terms, in particular for the chief executive to step down in 2025 to give way for the vice president.
“After Sara took her oath as vice-president, PRRD (initials of the former president) had a discussion with retired generals of the Armed Forces of the Philippines where I was also present regarding all possible scenarios for unseating BBM by 2025 in case he reneges on his promise.
“The general objective was to ensure that BBM will only serve less than four years of his term as President, so that Sara, upon assumption to the presidency, will still be eligible for the presidency in 2028,” he said in his supplemental affidavit.
Madriaga said should Marcos opt not to step down, “extraordinary measures” were considered such as overthrowing him, including “assassination, mass resignation of government officials, civil disobedience, and even an armed assault of Malacañan Palace” will be “considered.”
He said the former president thought of arranging assassinations or armed hits of several government officials to cause massive civil unrest, which military officers would supposedly use to stage a coup.
Madriaga said there was also a plan to “sabotage” the Marcos administration to disclose supposed corruption issues to justify an impeachment.
One of the grounds for impeachment for Duterte was the threats she made against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and his cousin. In 2024, the vice president stated that she already asked someone to kill the first family if she herself gets murdered.
Funding Sara’s campaign
Meanwhile, Madriaga tagged controversial figures in Duterte’s campaign for her 2022 election bid.
He said the vice president’s father tapped him to form the group, “Inday Sara is My President” to support Duterte’s candidacy, with funds coming from the former president’s friends and supporters.
Madriaga said one of them was Lin Wei Xiong from Pharmally pharmaceuticals, the government’s medical suppliers who figured in controversy during the COVID-19 pandemic under the Duterte administration.
He said Lin gave ₱175 million to fund the organization.
Madriaga added that a certain Maestrado Lim provided another ₱100 million.
He also accused Michael Yang, former Duterte presidential adviser, of providing financial support to the organization.
