The House prosecution in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial drops plans to present two former security officers and alleged bagman Ramil Madriaga as witnesses. The prosecution says it already has sufficient evidence to support allegations involving the alleged misuse, misappropriation, and irregular liquidation of P612.5 million in confidential funds.
The two former security officers identified by House spokesperson and impeachment team adviser Ace Barbers are Col. Raymund Dante Lachica and Col. Dennis Nolasco. Both have previously been referenced in testimonies that relate to how confidential funds were handled under the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
Across the outlets, the central development is the same: the prosecution panel decides not to call Lachica, Nolasco, and Madriaga during the impeachment proceedings, citing sufficiency of the evidence already presented. Neither source provides additional details on why the witnesses are no longer needed beyond the prosecution’s assessment that the evidentiary record is adequate.
