MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) stopping two committees of the House of Representatives and its Sergeant-at-Arms from implementing the contempt and detention orders against Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba.
Last Aug. 17, Mamba was cited in contempt and ordered detained after he failed to attend the investigation conducted by the House Committees on Public Accounts and Suffrage and Electoral Reforms regarding his public spending during the election campaign period.
On Aug. 22, Mamba went to the Supreme Court through a petition asking that it nullify the contempt and detention order against him.
He eventually appeared before the House of Representatives, saying he was previously excused from appearing as a similar issue is pending in court.
Meanwhile, the SC, in the same order, required the respondents–the House of Representative Committees and the lower House’sSergeant-at-Arms to comment on Mamba’s petition within a non-extendible period of five days from receipt of notice.