Panelo backs possible transfer of Madriaga to House custody

Atty. Salvador Paolo Panelo, Legal Counsel of the Office of the Vice President, said on Thursday, 12 March, he supports the proposal to transfer the custody of whistleblower Ramil Madriaga to the House of Representatives.

In a statement, Panelo said their camp’s priority is to keep Madriaga “alive and well” so he can take the witness stand and “reveal himself to the world as a fraud.”

“To reiterate, we want Madriaga alive and well precisely so he can testify and reveal himself to the world as a fraud. If transferring his custody to the House of Representatives ensures that, then we welcome the move,” he said.

The comments come as lawmakers weigh whether the whistleblower—whose allegations have contributed to the ongoing impeachment efforts against the vice president—should be placed under the custody of the chamber for further hearings.

Panelo also criticized the composition of the House Justice Committee, saying the panel is “composed mostly of the Vice President’s enemies.” 

He stressed, however, that any partisan line of questioning would not rehabilitate Madriaga’s credibility.

“No amount of the expected biased questioning from the House Justice Committee… can overcome Madriaga's fabrications or salvage his inexistent credibility,” he said.

The Vice President’s counsel further argued that Madriaga is only a “material witness” insofar as his testimony allegedly exposes “the strictly political objectives of those pursuing impeachment.”###