Ex-Aide Links VP Duterte's Husband to 2018 Drug-Laden Magnetic Lifters
MANILA – In a dramatic development during the impeachment hearings against Vice President Sara Duterte, her former aide Ramil Madriaga has submitted a supplemental affidavit directly implicating lawyer Manases Carpio, the Vice President's husband, in the controversial 2018 shipment of magnetic lifters found to contain billions of pesos worth of illegal drugs.
Allegations of High-Level Involvement
Madriaga, who claims to have served as a former aide and "bagman" for the Duterte family, testified before the House Committee on Justice on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. He alleged that former President Rodrigo Duterte instructed him sometime in 2017 or 2018 to assist Carpio with an unspecified issue involving the Bureau of Customs (BOC). According to Madriaga, Carpio subsequently contacted him and arranged a meeting in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, where he was asked to help facilitate the release of what was initially described as "construction equipment."
The Shocking Revelation
Days later, Madriaga said he went to the Bureau of Customs to coordinate with a lawyer regarding the shipment. It was during this meeting that he learned the supposed equipment was actually magnetic lifters that had been flagged by authorities. "This time, I learned that the construction equipment was actually magnetic lifters and the same were confiscated because it contained a large amount of shabu. However, the female lawyer informed me that it was difficult to release the same because it was a 'hot item'," Madriaga stated in his affidavit.
He reported this information back to Carpio, and they met again at the same location in Taguig City. "This was the last time we met regarding this issue. Later, I learned that the contents of the magnetic lifters, at least 500 kilograms of shabu worth 4.3 billion pesos, were mysteriously missing," he added.
Background of the 2018 Drug Smuggling Case
The case dates back to August 2018, when authorities discovered two abandoned magnetic lifters at the Manila port containing 355 kilograms of shabu worth approximately 2.4 billion pesos. Just three days later, four empty magnetic lifters were found abandoned in a warehouse in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency estimated that these four empty lifters possibly contained 1.6 tons of shabu with a street value of around 11 billion pesos.
This incident triggered multiple investigations after it was revealed that some shipments had already been released from customs before being properly inspected. The case raised serious concerns over corruption and significant lapses within the Bureau of Customs, prompting Senate inquiries and internal probes into how such a massive volume of illegal drugs entered the country undetected.
Aftermath and Reforms
In the wake of the scandal, several customs officials were relieved from their posts, while lawmakers called for sweeping reforms in port security and anti-smuggling operations. The case remains one of the largest drug smuggling operations ever uncovered in the Philippines, with ongoing implications for customs procedures and anti-corruption measures.
Madriaga's latest allegations add a new dimension to the already controversial case, directly linking a member of the country's political leadership to the drug smuggling operation that shocked the nation eight years ago.
