By Politiko staff
Lawyer Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., counsel for Vice President Sara Duterte in the perjury complaints against detained witness Ramil Madriaga, is using text messages to challenge key claims in the latter’s affidavit.
According to Panelo, the messages showed that Duterte’s political plans were still unsettled ahead of the 2022 elections, with several possible presidential tandems being discussed.
The defense submitted the messages to the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office to dispute Madriaga’s claim that Duterte instructed him to organize the “Inday Sara Duterte Is My President” (ISIP) Pilipinas group.
“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 in an interview with Bilyonaryo News Channel’s “At The Forefront” with Atty. Karen Jimeno.
He noted that ISIP was among several support groups that backed Duterte but had no formal ties with her.
He cited a text exchange involving Atty. Ryan Rey Quilala, who asked Duterte if she could attend a virtual meeting with ISIP organizers.
“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 between Duterte and Sen. Imee Marcos from September 2021, which Panelo said showed that a possible Sara-BBM tandem was still being considered.
According to Panelo, Marcos told Duterte that Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. planned to file his presidential candidacy on October 6, 2021, while hoping Duterte would run for president and Marcos would slide down to the vice presidency.
Duterte’s response, Panelo said, was clear. “I’m running for Mayor.”
She eventually filed her candidacy for Davao City mayor on October 2, 2021, before later changing her mind and running for vice president.
Panelo also said another possible tandem being considered at the time was Senator Bong Go for president with then-President Rodrigo Duterte as vice president, which he said was pushed by PDP.
“There was this push from PDP for a Go-Duterte tandem that was being considered at that time,” Panelo said.—Politiko.com.ph
