Ramil Madriaga on Tuesday claimed that he allegedly served as a “dummy” in the transfer of hundreds of millions of pesos through bank accounts allegedly set up by associates of former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte, pointing to a paper trail that includes checks attached to his affidavit.

In a sworn supplemental affidavit read before the panel hearing the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, Madriaga said he facilitated the movement of large sums of money through accounts opened under his name despite his limited income.

“Despite only earning PHP100,000 to PHP150,000 from my services to PRRD, millions of pesos went through bank accounts opened for me by close associates of PRRD,” Madriaga alleged.

“I admit that during PRRD’s term as President, I served as a dummy for the transfer of large amounts of money,” he added.

Madriaga claimed that the accounts – spread across multiple banks in Makati, Pasig, and Pampanga – were used for transactions described to him as tied to “intelligence operations” and laundering, even as he claimed he never personally opened them.

“However, I have never personally opened these accounts or appeared before the said banks to process any application in relation thereto. These were opened by people close to PRRD who informed me that money will be transferred to these accounts for ‘intelligence operations’ and for laundering,” he said.

Madriaga said he was instructed to sign blank checks tied to the accounts.

“I was later instructed to sign entire checkbooks where the amounts and payees are left blank. I agreed to do this because, at the time, I had complete trust in PRRD and his close associates,” Madriaga claimed.

“I distinctly remember that PRRD directed me on three separate occasions to pick up PHP100 million from a bank inside a mall in Lubao, Pampanga, which were all delivered to Malacañang,” he said.

He also cited specific documentary evidence attached to his affidavit, including two Landbank managers’ checks issued under his name totaling PHP89 million, which he said were intended for delivery to a safehouse in Eastwood, Quezon City.

Copies of the alleged checks were attached to his affidavit as Annexes “A” and “A-1.”

Before ending his testimony for the day, Madriaga waived his bank secrecy rights, allowing the committee to examine the accounts he identified, and the panel directed that the waiver be received as part of the records. (PNA)