Duterte Allegedly Ordered Sabotage Against Trillanes but Balked at Assassination
In a dramatic testimony before the House justice panel, detainee Ramil Madriaga revealed that former President Rodrigo Duterte personally ordered sabotage operations targeting former Senator Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV. However, Madriaga claimed Duterte showed significant hesitation when it came to authorizing an assassination plot against the outspoken critic.
Direct Presidential Orders for Surveillance and Sabotage
According to Madriaga's sworn statement, during Duterte's presidential term, he was appointed as a counterintelligence agent under the National Security Council. He clarified that he was not directly under the Office of the President or any other government agency but was "directly employed" by the former president himself.
"As part of my duties, I was specifically instructed by former President Duterte to monitor, operate against, and sabotage former Senator Trillanes," Madriaga testified during the hearing concerning the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Military Connections Prevented More Extreme Measures
Madriaga further elaborated that Duterte's reluctance to order Trillanes' assassination stemmed from the former senator's strong support and connections within the Armed Forces of the Philippines. This military backing apparently served as a protective shield against more extreme measures.
The testimony sheds new light on the long-standing and highly publicized feud between Duterte and Trillanes, which has included multiple legal and political confrontations over the years.
Background of the Duterte-Trillanes Conflict
The animosity between the two political figures dates back to at least 2019 when Duterte accused Trillanes of being behind a viral video that alleged his son, Davao 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte, received payments from an illegal drug syndicate. Trillanes vehemently denied these allegations at the time.
Furthermore, Trillanes has been among those who filed complaints against Duterte with the International Criminal Court regarding alleged crimes against humanity connected to the controversial war on drugs during Duterte's administration.
Madriaga's testimony before the House justice panel adds another layer to this complex political saga, suggesting that the conflict extended beyond public accusations to include covert operations authorized at the highest levels of government.
