Opponents of Vice President Sara Duterte are using imprisoned kidnapping convict Ramil Madriaga as a pawn to oust her, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said on Saturday.

In a statement, Roque said Madriaga’s allegations were part of a broader “self-serving agenda” against Duterte.

“The enemies of Vice President Inday Sara Duterte are desperate and are using Mr. Madriaga to advance their self-serving agenda,” Roque said.

Madriaga had made allegations against Duterte that were cited in complaints and public statements targeting the Vice President.

Duterte has denied the accusations and earlier filed a perjury complaint against Madriaga.

Roque also belied the remarks of lawyer Raymund Palad, counsel for Madriaga, who claimed the former presidential spokesperson took it personally when Madriaga helped the farmers who were victims of an alleged land-grabbing by Roque.

“I categorically deny the statements made by attorney Raymund Palad, counsel for Ramil Madriaga,” Roque said.

The staunch Duterte ally said he had not seen a copy of the supposed complaint filed against him, but acknowledged knowing Madriaga.

“I am not denying that I know Mr. Madriaga. My first personal encounter with him was at the Department of Justice before the National Prosecution Service during the preliminary investigation, where I served as counsel for the kidnap victims, and Mr. Madriaga stood as a respondent in two counts of kidnapping,” he said.

Madriaga is currently in prison in connection with that kidnapping case which stemmed from the abduction of two individuals who were allegedly brought to a car shop owned by Madriaga.

“On the alleged Ombudsman complaint, this only surfaced after Mr. Madriaga’s attempt to bribe me with five million pesos in exchange for dropping the kidnapping case failed,” Roque said.

Roque maintained that both the accusations against him and the claims against Duterte were baseless.

Sufficient grounds explained

Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, a House Committee on Justice minority member, asserted that there were sufficient grounds for the impeachment complaints against Vice President Duterte.

Ridon denied Duterte’s claim that the House of Representatives was conducting a fishing expedition in her case, that the complainants lacked ample evidence to support their case.

“This is just not true, because a fishing expedition presupposes an absolute absence of documentation,” the solon said.