If Philippine politics were a soap opera, this week's episode just wrote itself. A jailed witness has told a House impeachment hearing that former president Rodrigo Duterte - yes, the guy who once compared himself to Hitler - allegedly plotted to oust sitting president Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and may have even floated the idea of assassination if a supposed power-sharing deal collapsed. Buckle up.
Who is this guy, exactly?
The witness in question is one Ramil Madriaga, who described himself to the House Committee on Justice as a political organiser, intelligence operative, and bagman - which is basically a real-life NPC from a political thriller who somehow wandered into an actual congressional hearing. Madriaga claimed he was once close to Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, whose impeachment proceedings are the reason everyone is gathered in this particular room in the first place.
According to reporting by the South China Morning Post, Madriaga made these explosive allegations on Tuesday during the House committee's hearing into Duterte-Carpio, painting a picture of backroom scheming that would make even the most seasoned political operative sweat through their barong.
The alleged plot
Per Madriaga's testimony, former president Duterte allegedly discussed removing Marcos Jr. from the presidency - a remarkable claim given that Sara Duterte-Carpio is Rodrigo Duterte's own daughter and served as Marcos's vice-president in a political alliance that has since spectacularly imploded. According to the witness, the idea of assassination was reportedly raised as a contingency if a supposed power-sharing arrangement between the two political dynasties fell apart.
It is worth stressing that these are the claims of a single jailed witness - someone with an obvious personal history and potential incentives - and they have not been independently verified. Philippine authorities and the Duterte camp have not been shy about contesting unfavourable narratives in the past.
Why this matters beyond the drama
The impeachment proceedings against Sara Duterte-Carpio have already turned into one of the most politically consequential events in the Philippines in years, exposing the spectacular breakdown between two of the country's most powerful dynasties. The Marcos-Duterte alliance was once seen as an almost unbeatable political force. Now it appears to have curdled into something considerably more chaotic - and, if this testimony is to be believed, potentially dangerous.
The hearing continues, and the Philippines - along with the rest of us refreshing our news feeds - is watching very closely.
