Cagayan Gov. Mamba ordered detained for failing to attend House hearing

Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba (File photo)

MANILA, Philippines — Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba is facing detention in the House of Representatives for failing to attend its hearing on his alleged public spending violation during the election campaign period.

Antipolo 2nd District Representative Romeo Acop made the motion for Mamba’s detention order during Thursday’s joint hearing of the House committee on public accounts, and committee on suffrage and electoral reforms.

“Mr. Chair, may we respectfully move that Governor Mamba be detained pursuant to our rules and be meted out the penalty that is supposed to be meted out pursuant to our rules?” Acop asked the joint panel.

His request was approved.

Before this move, Acop made the motion to cite Mamba in contempt for his failure to attend the hearing for the past three months.

“Since the governor of Cagayan was not able to obey the processes of these two committees, in the spirit of the equitable provisions of the law, I move that we cite the governor of Cagayan for contempt,” said Acop.

However, Deputy Majority Leader Zamboanga Sibugay 1st District Representative Wilter Palma said Mamba should be given another chance to show up.

“Can I ask a favor? For the last time, we’ll ask again, for him to appear. If he will not appear at the next hearing, then, I will be the co-sponsor of that motion,” he said.

“We will give him the last chance, if that would be possible, Mr. Chair? To have fairness, and for him to appear before this committee,” Palma told fellow lawmakers.

But Abang Lingkod party-list Representative Joseph Stephen Paduano, who is the chairman of the committee on public accounts, stressed that since the hearing about the matter began on May 31, not once did the governor attend.

Quezon City 4th District Representative Marvin Rillo, a committee member on suffrage and electoral reforms, seconded the observation.

“Giving him three months is more than enough,” Rillo said.

Upon hearing this, Palma said he submitted to the committee’s wisdom.

Mamba was initially disqualified by the second division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in December 2022 for violating the public spending ban during the May 2022 polls.

However, in March 2023, Comelec en banc reversed the earlier decision, saying that the poll body does not have the authority or jurisdiction to hear or resolve the case.

The en banc declared petitions for disqualification can no longer be entertained after the candidate’s proclamation to an electoral post.

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Comelec reverses disqualification of Cagayan Gov. Mamba

APL/abc