Photo from Inday Sara Duterte/Facebook
Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday denied having any connection to Ramil Madriaga, an alleged former aide who accused her of ordering cash deliveries to various individuals.
Madriaga made the claims in an affidavit filed with the Office of the Ombudsman, alleging he acted under Duterte’s instructions.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Duterte said, “I do not have a personal relationship with Ramil Madriaga, nor have I ever given him instructions of any kind.”
She added, “I have never visited him in prison, nor have I spoken to him about anything at any time.”
The Vice President said Madriaga failed to present evidence to support his claims.
“Bare allegations, no matter how loudly repeated, amount to nothing more than noise,” she said.
Duterte said Madriaga, whom she said has a criminal record, was acting out of desperation to secure his release from detention.
“He is now disseminating false statements to government authorities as part of a concerted effort to obstruct and undermine my possible candidacy for president,” she said.
She also dismissed allegations based on photos allegedly showing them together, saying these were “unrelated images taken during public events where I was present.”
The statement was issued after one of Madriaga’s lawyers claimed that Duterte had visited him twice at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.
