NO-SHOW: Empty seat as VP Sara Duterte skips House impeachment hearing anew — ANC

[0:00] before we proceed may we know from the committee secretary whether the complainants are present in [0:07] today's hearing may we request the complainants to please stand up father sabalia et al for the [0:15] third impeachment complaint let us place on record that the private complainants in the third [0:24] impeachment complaint are present in today's hearing thank you you may take your seat may [0:31] i request if he's around attorney cabrera to stand up if he's present in our proceeding attorney cabrera [0:44] let it be part of our record as well the demand standing with a mask is attorney cabrera the [0:52] complainant in the fourth impeachment complaint maraming salamat po at this juncture the chair [1:00] directs the committee secretary to call the role of resource persons thank you madam chair on behalf [1:11] of the committee on justice we would like to acknowledge the presence of the following [1:16] resource persons from the office of the ombudsman ombudsman jesus christine c remulia from the bureau [1:23] of internal revenue bir commissioner attorney charlito martin r mendoza from the commission on [1:32] audit may i request the resource persons to kindly stand up to be recognized as your names are called [1:40] by the committee secretary please continue comsec from the commission on audit attorney gloria a camora [1:47] state auditor intelligence and confidential funds audit office from the national bureau of investigation [1:57] nbi director attorney melvin a matibag miss caroline j moldez pitoy and mr antonio magbohos from the philippine [2:09] statistics authority assistant national statistician engineer marisa b grande psa director attorney eliezer p [2:19] ambatali attorney iris jane a tan registration officer five emilio c kerubin jr and special investigator [2:33] sherwin s mariano from the legislative information and research management department of house of the [2:41] representatives director marivik m pareja legislative archives and museum management service attorney [2:51] michael wesley tipowa council for the vice president attorney cynthia viñas pantonal notary public [2:59] and mr ramil laguna madriaga that's all your honor for the record the chair likewise direct the [3:08] committee secretary to call respondent vice president this is to know if she's present or not in our [3:21] today's hearing come sec please call respondent vice president the respondent um was newly notified of [3:30] today's hearing however she's not present today your honor let it be part of our record that notice [3:38] was served by the committee to respondent vice president but at this time she is not present [3:45] in our hearing madam chair madam chair the honorable dilemma i can't help noticing when the committee [3:54] secretary was doing the roll call of the resource persons that she was referring to attorney michael wesley [4:02] poa as council i think it has to be clarified does his appearance today is in his capacity as council [4:12] for the respondent or merely his capacity then as a spokesperson of uh dep ed honorable dilemma before we [4:23] address your concern we will first administer the oath so that the response to you of attorney poa [4:28] will form part of the records of our proceeding so at this point we direct the committee secretary to [4:35] administer the oath to all our resource persons we're requesting them to please stand up please raise [4:46] your right hand you swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth before this committee [4:58] the oath has been administered thank you now we go back to the concern of the honorable dilemma we recognize [5:06] attorney poa to please make a clarification as to what capacity you are appearing in today's proceeding [5:13] good morning madam chair good morning honorable members of the committee uh thank you for the [5:17] question honorable dilemma uh based on the subpoena that i was furnished with i am appearing uh as the [5:25] former undersecretary and chief of staff and spokesperson of the department of education [5:29] and not as council of the vice president your honor thank you for the clarification thank you with that [5:37] we wish to ask the resource persons with respect to the requested documents of this committee let me start [5:47] with attorney cincha pantonal you're recognized were you able to bring the affidavit of ramil madriaga good [6:02] morning madam chair i have the certification issued by the office of the clerk of court of taguid city [6:08] that the affidavit that the affidavit of arabil madriaga was duly entered in my notarial register [6:16] as document number 267 page number 50 book number nine series of 2025 we direct the committee secretary to [6:26] receive the document certification from the regional trial court clerk of court to form part of the records of [6:33] this proceeding thank you attorney pantonal thank you madam chair next is miss pareja director two of [6:43] legislative archives and museum management service of the house of representatives were you able to bring [6:49] the documents described in the subpoena issued by this committee madam chair we can confirm that we have in [6:56] our possession the digital and physical records of um documents transmitted by the committee secretariat [7:05] particularly the committee on good government and public accountability on the following dates september 18 [7:11] and 25 october 17 november 5 11 20 and 25 december 9 all of 2024 relating to the confidential funds of the [7:25] office of the office of the vice president and the department of education thank you with that we likewise direct the [7:31] committee secretary to receive both the digital and the documentary records of the hearings mentioned of [7:41] the committee on good government in 19 congress with regards to the confidential fund of both the [7:47] department of education and the office of the vice president this will form part of the record of the [7:54] proceeding of this impeachment case next is attorney melvin matibag our nbi director may we know [8:06] if you were able to bring the document required in the subpoena good morning madam chair the documents [8:14] requested under the subpoena was submitted uh june 2 2025 to the office of the minority [8:20] board leader upon his request uh but also we're bringing the uh pictured document also that's regards to the [8:28] question documents and with me also are the documents in relation to the god threat uh issue uh mentioned by [8:37] vice president sarah duterte to honorable president bonbon marcos speaker martin romaldes the first lady and [8:44] uh uh the uh the three of them so we have all the documents here those are all certified uh original [8:54] madam chair thank you comsec kindly receive all the documents being submitted by the nbi director to form [9:03] part of the records of our impeachment proceeding next is mr miss claire mapa miss claire mapa undersecretary of the [9:16] philippine statistics authority may we know the documents that you're bringing to this committee in [9:22] in compliance to the subpoena madam chair in compliance to the subpoena we submitted today the [9:28] original copies of the certifications pertaining to the psa verification made on the certificate of [9:35] live birth certificate of marriage and certificate of death on the several names of the least submitted [9:42] uh under investigation uh under investigation dated certification december 8 2024 and a certification [9:51] dated december 11 2024 including the manifestation signed by undersecretary clear dennis smapa okay so [10:00] comsec kindly received the documents being submitted by psa to form part of the records of our today's [10:08] proceeding last for subpoena duces tecum is attorney gloria a camora from icfau of the commission on audit [10:22] may we know the documents that you are submitting attorney camora um madam chair um i have with me the [10:30] documents that were subject of the submit uh subpoena duces tecum that pertains to kindly describe [10:39] um madam chair uh these are all the submissions by the ovp to koa in relation to the liquidation of [10:48] confidential funds for the fourth quarter of 2022 first quarter of 2023 second quarter of 2023 third [10:58] quarter of 2023 um also the submissions of the dep ed to koa in relation to the liquidation of [11:07] confidential funds provided by the ovp and the dep ed the responses of the ovp and the dep there too [11:25] as well as the resolutions issued by the koa all right so the commit committee secretaries likewise [11:32] directed to receive the documents from attorney camora to form part of the records of our today's [11:39] proceeding in pursuit of an organized presentation of evidence we will be following this order first [11:51] will be attorney cincha pantonal this is for the guidance also of the justice members second [11:59] is mr ramil madriaga third is miss marivik m pareja fourth is attorney melvin matibag fifth is miss claire [12:12] dennis mapa sixth is attorney gloria a camora seventh is attorney michael wesley tipowa eight is the [12:22] ombudsman ninth ninth is attorney francis edrelin lim of the securities and exchange commission and 10th [12:34] is attorney charlito martin r mendoza commissioner of the bureau of internal revenue in order not to waste [12:43] time of people working in the government let me advance that the capability of this committee to hear [12:49] the witnesses will be until the time of attorney michael poa only so should the rest of the resource [12:58] persons wish to be excused in today's hearing particularly the ombudsman the sec and the bir the [13:07] committee will favorably consider with that we're requesting the seven first witnesses to stay for [13:15] the clarificatory questions which will be raised as we go along but before we proceed to that we would [13:23] like to recognize the honorable shell choc no to manifest on the nature of the proceeding which we are [13:32] holding today thank you thank you madam chair mga naumaga po satin lahat lalong lalo na sa mga [13:41] naunod at nakikinig and tama po c chair luis tro canina this is not a trial we are not here as judges [13:52] wala halos pinagkaiba ang gagawin natin bilang mga miyembro ng committee so ginagawa ng isang [13:59] prosecutor na nagsasagawa ng preliminary investigation i am speaking as not as an endorser i am not endorsing any [14:07] of the impeachment complaints. I am speaking simply as a member of the [14:11] committee so that it will be clear to everyone, especially to the public, [14:16] what will happen today. [14:21] Just like in a preliminary investigation, we are here to inquire into the truth. [14:27] And just like a prosecutor has the power to issue a subpena in order to determine the truth, [14:34] and that is what we are doing in our Committee on Justice. [14:38] We are two of them, and I hope this will be clear to everyone, including the respondent. [14:46] First of all, we need to protect the officials from the claims that are no basis. [14:53] And I am sure every member of the committee will not hesitate if we see that there is no evidence to support a complaint. [15:02] And secondly, we need to make sure that there is no basis for the Senate, if they will come to the impeachment court. [15:11] We are here to fulfill our mandate under the Constitution to initiate a complaint if there is sufficient basis or evidence. [15:22] So we need to see that there is no evidence. [15:31] Thank you, Madam Chair. [15:33] Thank you, Honorable Jokno. [15:36] So, at this juncture, we officially start the presentation of our evidence in the order which the Chair recently announced. [15:50] The floor is now open for clarificatory questions of the Justice members. [15:57] Madam Chair, if I may be recognized. [16:01] The Honorable Mika Gonzalez is recognized. [16:05] Thank you, Madam Chair. [16:07] Madam Chair, maaari ko po bang magbigay ng ilang katanungan kay Atty. Cyndia Pantonal? [16:18] Atty. [16:21] Atty. [16:22] Atty. [16:23] Atty. [16:24] Atty. [16:25] Atty. [16:26] Atty. [16:27] Atty. [16:28] Atty. [16:29] Atty. [16:30] Atty. [16:31] Atty. [16:32] Atty. [16:33] Atty. [16:34] Atty. [16:35] Atty. [16:36] Atty. [16:37] Atty. [16:38] Atty. [16:39] Atty. [16:40] Atty. [16:41] Atty. [16:42] Atty. [16:43] Atty. [16:44] Atty. [16:45] Atty. [16:46] Atty. [16:49] Atty. [16:50] Atty. [16:51] Atty. [16:52] Atty. [16:53] Atty. [16:54] Atty. [16:55] Atty. [16:56] Salaisay ni Mr. Ramil Madriaga. Dala niyo po ba ang original or certified true copy ng sinumpaang [17:06] Salaisay ni Mr. Ramil Madriaga? Dala ko po ang certified true copy at ang certification [17:14] from the Office of the Clerk of Court. The affidavit of PDL Madriaga was registered in [17:22] my notarial book. So those pertains to the documents that you submitted already, [17:30] Attorney Pantanal, both the original affidavit and the certification of the regional trial [17:36] court. Yes, Madam Chair. You may continue, Honorable Gonzalez. Thank you, Madam Chair. [17:41] Attorney Pantanal, kinukumpirma mo rin po ba na ang original or certified true copy ng [17:49] affidavit o sinumpaang Salaisay ni Mr. Ramil Madriaga ay nanotaryo alinsunod sa [17:57] section 2 of AM number 02-8-13SC or 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice kung saan si Mr. Madriaga [18:10] ay humarap sa iyo at pumirma sa kanyang sinumpaang Salaisay. Yes, he voluntarily sworn, [18:19] subscribed and sworn to before me, his five-page affidavit on November 29, 2025 at BJMP Camp Bagong [18:32] Diwa, Taguig City. Thank you, Madam Chair. That will be all. Are there any other [18:39] clarificatory questions for Attorney Pantanal? Madam Chair, point of order. The Honorable [18:44] Advin Kula. Madam Chair, may we request that all members and ex-official members of the [18:51] Committee on Justice be furnished with the copies of the submissions of our witnesses. Thank you, Madam Chair. [18:57] We are directing the Committee Secretary to furnish copy of the documents to all the Justice [19:03] members, including the ex-official members, and including as well, Respondent Vice President [19:11] Sara Duterte. That's so ordered. The Honorable Domogan. Thank you, Madam Chair. Attorney Pantanal, [19:23] it's a mandatory duty of a notary public that before you notarize a document, you have to [19:32] satisfy yourself that the document was indeed executed by the affiant. Was this complied [19:39] with? Yes, Your Honor. Now, at the time you notarized the document, did you observe any untoward? [19:53] With all due respect, Honorable Domogan, I believe that your question is already a probing question. [20:00] Please be reminded to confine your questions to clarificatory only. [20:07] Yes, Your Honor, because there's an accusation that the affiant is not actually the one who supplied the fact. [20:15] That's why it's an opportunity for the notary public being the one to administer the oath to testify that there was no sign. [20:25] Nonetheless, Honorable Domogan, our resource person, they are not witness, they are resource persons. [20:32] Yes, Your Honor. [20:33] She stated already that the document was executed in her presence. [20:40] Yes, Your Honor. And what I'm just asking the witness, Your Honor, is there was no sign of any untoward attitude of the affiant when she confronted. [20:53] I lament, but I have to prevent that kind of question, Honorable Domogan, because that is a probing question which must be raised only during the stage of the trial. [21:05] All right, I submit with the Chair. [21:07] Thank you. [21:08] Are there any other members who wish to raise clarificatory questions to Attorney Pantanal? [21:13] None? [21:16] The Honorable Keith Flores. [21:19] Madam Chair, since there's no other member who wishes to propound questions to Attorney Pantanal, may I move that the Attorney Pantanal be excused from today's proceedings, Madam Chair. [21:29] There is a motion to excuse Notary Public Attorney Pantanal. Do I hear a second? Is there any objection? [21:38] Madam Chair, before- [21:39] The Honorable Rufus Rodriguez. [21:41] Thank you. Before she leaves, let us now mark the exhibit as exhibit A complaint, so that we can refer to the complainant, to the affidavit in the course of our proceeding. [21:53] We all do respect, Honorable Rodriguez. We are doing away with the marking of the documents. [22:00] As the same should happen as well, only during the trial. So, it is enough that the committee received all the documents in compliance with the subpoena, to form part of the records of our proceeding. [22:17] But the marking should happen during the trial. With all due respect, Honorable Rodriguez. [22:23] Thank you. I always agree with the Chair. So, thank you. [22:28] With that, let us rule on the motion. If there is no objection, the motion is granted. Attorney Pantanal is excused from this proceeding. Maraming salamat po. [22:39] Thank you, Madam Chair. [22:40] Madam Chair. [22:43] The Honorable Terry Redon. [22:46] I would like to refer my clarificatory questions to Mr. Ramil Madriaga. [22:56] May we know from the committee secretary if Ramil Madriaga is already around? [23:02] Comsec? [23:04] Yes. [23:05] Yes, Your Honor, Mr. Madriaga is within the premises of the People's Centre. [23:09] He is within the premises. [23:11] Yes. Under the custody of BJMP. [23:14] Okay. [23:15] To give time to the Sergeant at Arms to bring Ramil Madriaga inside the People's Centre before this committee, we are temporarily suspending the hearing.