Photo credit: Rammad Riaga

As denials and counterclaims continue to circulate online, questions surrounding Ramil Madriaga and his alleged links to Vice President Sara Duterte and senior security officials refuse to die down. With misinformation spreading fast, several key points now stand out based on records, testimonies, and sworn statements already on the table.

Duterte’s Denial Under Scrutiny

Vice President Sara Duterte has publicly denied knowing Ramil Madriaga. However, multiple pieces of evidence suggest otherwise when viewed together.

These include a video showing the Vice President calling for “Sir Ram” during a public event in Matnog, Quezon, as well as a formal invitation sent to Madriaga for her inauguration. There is also video testimony from a Bataan farmer who said he personally accompanied Madriaga and witnessed the Vice President and Madriaga speaking inside her residence.

Additional material points to prior interaction: a public video statement by Vice President Duterte acknowledging that Isip Pilipinas was founded by friends—Madriaga being its lead convener—along with interviews from Isip Pilipinas members who say they saw video calls and messages exchanged between the two. Screenshots and photographs showing them together have also surfaced.

Individually, each piece may be questioned. Taken together, they paint a consistent picture of prior familiarity and interaction that public denials alone do not erase.

Lachica, Libel, and the Missing Funds

Col. Raymund Dante Lachica has also denied allegations linked to confidential funds, even as he filed a cyber libel case against Madriaga. Records from sworn affidavits and congressional hearings tell a more complicated story.

In his affidavit, Madriaga stated that he was introduced to Col. Lachica by Col. Nolasco, who was also the one regularly contacting him. Testimonies from both houses of Congress—including statements from Department of Education and Office of the Vice President staff—allege that hundreds of millions of pesos in confidential funds were personally handed to Col. Lachica.

To date, these funds remain unaccounted for and are central to several cases, including plunder-related complaints. Notably, despite these public testimonies, Col. Lachica has not filed libel cases against the officials who made the statements—only against Madriaga. For critics, that selective response raises more questions than answers.

Clearing Up the False Claims

Several rumors circulating online have also been directly addressed:

Madriaga never claimed to be a classmate of Vice President Duterte. He has consistently said they were schoolmates, both having completed law studies at San Sebastián College–Recoletos Manila.

He was not a member of the Presidential Security Group as a security operative. His role was as a highly specialized trainer at the PSG Training Center.

Claims that he led or was part of a kidnapping group for decades are false. He has only one kidnapping case on record—from 1997—and he was fully acquitted in 2003. Court records further show that he played a key role in rescuing the victim in that same case.

Facing the Investigations Head-On

Madriaga has stated that he welcomes all ongoing and future investigations and is prepared to cooperate fully with authorities. He maintains that the truth will emerge through due process, where affidavits, testimonies, and evidence can be properly examined.

As this controversy unfolds, one thing is clear: the debate is no longer just about denials. It is about whether documented evidence and sworn testimonies will finally be tested through a full and transparent investigation.