Impeachment resource person Ramil Madriaga alleged that discussions among former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PRRD), Vice President Sara Duterte, and their allies involved a plan to have President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. step down by 2025 to give way to her, along with contingency plans to remove him if the deal did not materialize.

Madriaga, in his sworn supplemental affidavit read before the House Committee on Justice on Tuesday, said the supposed agreement was relayed to him by former president Duterte ahead of the 2022 national elections.

“Sometime in November 2021, PRRD mentioned to me that Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (‘BBM’) will run for President while Sara will serve as his running mate. PRRD added that a few months ago, BBM and Senator Imee Marcos visited him to discuss a possible alliance in the 2022 national elections,” Madriaga said.

“During this meeting, BBM was able to convince PRRD to have Sara as BBM’s Vice-President. However, they also agreed that by 2025, BBM will voluntarily step down to give way for a Sara presidency,” he added.

Madriaga alleged the objective of such an arrangement was to allow Duterte to assume the presidency early while remaining eligible to run in 2028.

“After Sara took her oath as Vice-President, PRRD 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,” he said.

“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 of the presidency, will still be eligible for the presidency in 2028,” he added.

Madriaga alleged that one of the scenarios discussed involved undermining the Marcos administration from within.

“I remember that one of the plans considered was to sabotage BBM’s administration by using some of BBM’s own men (either recommended by PRRD for appointment or allied with the Dutertes) to reveal supposed corruption issues that would serve as a precursor for an impeachment complaint,” he said.

He added that more extreme measures were also discussed if Marcos refused to step down.

“In the event that BBM will not voluntarily step down or hand over the presidency to Sara, extraordinary measures of overthrowing BBM will be considered, which include assassination, mass resignation of government officials, civil disobedience, and even an armed assault of Malacañang Palace,” Madriaga said.

“It was also considered by PRRD to arrange assassinations or armed hits of several government officials in order to cause massive civil unrest. The resulting civil unrest will be used as a basis to organize a group of military officers to stage a coup,” he added.

Madriaga claimed that he was given a role in the alleged plans.

“One of my assignments was to recruit civil groups, school clubs, fraternities, criminal groups, and syndicates,” he said.

Madriaga said his claims directly contradict the Vice President’s denial that she had any relationship with him.

“However, her denial of any affiliation with me is absolutely false. She lied under oath in her Perjury Complaint against me,” Madriaga said.

His affidavit forms part of the evidence being examined by the House Committee on Justice in connection with impeachment complaints accusing Duterte of, among others, misuse of confidential and intelligence funds. (PNA)