Lawyer Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., counsel for Vice President Sara Duterte in the perjury complaints against detained witness Ramil Madriaga, said SMS messages submitted as evidence to challenge inconsistencies in Madriaga’s affidavit before the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office showed that several political tandems were considered during the 2022 presidential elections.
Panelo said some of the text exchanges contradicted Madriaga’s claim that Duterte had instructed him to organize the “Inday Sara Duterte Is My President” (ISIP) Pilipinas group and showed that Duterte’s political plans remained uncertain at the time.
Panelo made the disclosure during an interview on Bilyonaryo News Channel’s At The Forefront with Atty. Karen Jimeno.
“We don’t dispute that he (Madriaga) formed ISIP. We’re disputing the allegation that Madriaga was instructed by the Vice President to form ISIP,” Panelo said.
He described ISIP as one of several parallel support groups that backed Duterte’s campaign but were not formally connected to her.
“So ISIP is one of many parallel support groups that supported VP Sara’s campaign but are not formally connected with VP Sara,” Panelo said.
Panelo cited a text exchange involving Atty. Ryan Rey Quilala who asked Duterte if she could attend a virtual meeting involving ISIP organizers.
Panelo said the exchange contradicted Madriaga’s claim that he had been working closely with Duterte since 2018.
“If Madriaga is working closely with the Vice President since 2018, why do you need to go to Attorney Ryan Quilala to request a meet and greet basically?” he said.
The defense also presented text messages involving Duterte and Sen. Imee Marcos in September 2021, which Panelo said showed discussions about a possible Sara-BBM tandem.
According to Panelo, Marcos told Duterte that Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. would file his candidacy on Oct. 6, 2021, and was still hoping Duterte would run for president, with Marcos sliding down to the vice presidency.
“Yah, yan ang sabi according to Senator Imee. Nililigawan kasi nila si VP Sara na tumakbong president tapos magiging Vice president si BBM,” Panelo said.
But Panelo said Duterte’s response was clear: “I’m running for Mayor.”
Duterte eventually filed her certificate of candidacy for Davao City mayor on Oct. 2, 2021 before later switching her political plans and running for vice president.
Panelo also disclosed another possible tandem being considered at the time – Sen. Bong Go for president with then-President Rodrigo Duterte as vice president.
He said the proposed Go-Rody Duterte tandem was being pushed by the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP).
“No, it’s actually as Vice President of Senator Bong Go. There was this push from PDP for a Go-Duterte tandem that was being considered at that time,” Panelo said.
The SMS along with other evidence was presented to the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office to challenge Madriaga’s allegations and cast doubt on his claims about his supposed relationship with Duterte and her alleged instructions regarding ISIP Pilipinas.
Madriaga is currently detained at a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, in connection with a pending kidnapping-for-ransom case.