MANILA — The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) has approved the request for detainee Ramil Madriaga, a confessed bagman of Vice President Sara Duterte, to appear at the House of Representatives impeachment hearing against her.

In an order dated April 7 and released Wednesday, April 8, the court granted the request made by the House Committee on Justice. The document stated that Madriaga “is hereby allowed to appear before the Committee on Justice located at the 2nd Floor of the People’s Center, House of Representatives, Batasang Pambansa Complex, Constitution Hills, Quezon City on April 14, 2026 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with proper jail escorts.”

The House justice panel had requested Madriaga’s presence through a March 31 letter signed by committee chair Gerville Luistro and House Speaker Faustino Dy III, describing him as a “key witness” for the determination of probable cause in the impeachment proceedings.

Madriaga is currently detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, facing a pending kidnapping charge. He previously alleged that drug dealers and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) were funding the Inday Sara Duterte is My President (ISIP) Pilipinas campaign, claims denied by Duterte, who said he was never her aide or bagman.

Copies of the House panel’s request were also furnished to the BJMP city jail warden and Madriaga’s lawyer, Raymund Palad. The House Committee on Justice is scheduled to resume its hearing for the determination of probable cause on April 14, with Madriaga appearing as a resource person or witness.