Madriaga: Assassination plot vs Marcos discussed between Rodrigo Duterte, retired generals

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte‘s alleged former bagman Ramil Madriaga claimed that former president Rodrigo Duterte and retired military generals discussed measures to unseat President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., including assassinating him.

Reading from his supplemental affidavit, Madriaga said at a House justice committee hearing on Tuesday, April 14, that according to the former president Marcos and his sister, Imee, convinced him in 2021 to have Sara as Marcos’ running mate, on the condition that he would step down in 2025 to pave the way for the presidency of his daughter.

Madriaga said that after the 2022 elections, Madriaga met with retired Armed Forces of the Philippines generals to tackle possible scenarios to kick out Marcos in Malacañang in 2025 if “he reneges on his promise.”

“The general objective was to ensure that BBM will only serve less than four years of his term as president, so that Sara, upon assumption to the presidency, will still be eligible for the presidency in 2028,” he said.

“In the event that BBM will not voluntarily step down or hand over the presidency to Sara, extraordinary measures of overthrowing BBM will be considered which include assassination, mass resignation of government officials, civil disobedience, and even armed assault of Malacanang,” Madriaga added.

Madriaga also said that the older Duterte also considered arranging the assassination or ambush of several government officials “in order to cause massive civil unrest.”

While Marcos and Sara formed a 2022 election alliance, then-president Duterte did not publicly endorse the candidacy of Marcos.

After the 2022 elections, the former president publicly accused Marcos of drug addiction. In 2025, the Marcos government executed the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Duterte over alleged crimes against humanity.

Madriaga claimed he first met Mr. Duterte in 2015 or 2016 through then-congressman Roilo Golez, who supposedly employed Madriaga as one of his political officers specializing in intel gathering and sabotage operations.

After Duterte won the 2016 presidential race, Madriaga supposedly became a a counter-intelligence agent for the National Security Council, although he was not directly employed by any government agency.

Madriaga alleged that he served as a financial dummy of Mr. Duterte and his associates during his presidency, and in 2021, Madriaga supposedly received funds from Pharmally boss Lin Weixiong to finance the 2022 election campaign of Sara. – Rappler.com