A Quezon City attorney whose wife has an ownership stake in Nommu Basho restaurant pushed back against allegations that the establishment served as a handover point for cash connected to claims involving a former witness in a controversy tied to the Duterte political camp.
Ramil Madriaga, in a supplemental affidavit, stated that he personally brought a duffel bag of money to the restaurant on 20 December 2022 under the alleged instruction of Vice President Sara Duterte. He claimed he was directed to the second floor, where someone retrieved the bag while former spokesperson Reynold Munsayac reportedly stood by and later acknowledged the group as they departed.
Lawyer Edward Chico, responding via a Facebook video, called the allegations “incorrect” and said the restaurant had nothing to do with any such transaction. He said the venue was reserved that evening for a private Christmas celebration hosted by a chef-consultant, with around 45 guests present from 11 p.m. on 20 December into the early morning hours of the following day.
Chico provided photos from the event and message screenshots as supporting documentation, and questioned whether a cash handover of that nature could have gone unnoticed in such a setting.
“Una sa lahat, wala diyan si Reynold Munsayac. Pangalawa, ganyan kadami yung tao. Sa tingin n’yo ba magdadala siya ng duffel bag?” he said.
He also took issue with specific details in Madriaga’s account, saying Nommu Basho’s second floor contains only a restroom and a storage area — not the office-type space the affidavit appeared to describe. Chico added that the restaurant does not attract political personalities, noting that among the few public figures who had ever visited were Munsayac and Ombudsman prosecutor Ryan Quilala.
Lawyer Jesus Falcis offered a different read, saying Chico’s account did not fully neutralize the allegation. He pointed out that the restaurant’s operating hours that night overlapped with the timeframe cited in the affidavit, and said the contradictions between the two sides would likely be examined in formal proceedings.
