Cagayan Gov. Mamba released from House detention after SC’s TRO

MANILA, Philippines — Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba has been released by the House of Representatives from detention after the Supreme Court (SC) issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against two house panel’s decision to cite the official in contempt.

Based on information from House Sergeant-at-Arms Napoleon Taas,  the House committee on public accounts and the committee on suffrage and electoral reforms decided on Thursday to grant the motion of Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta to release Mamba.

“During the special meeting of the Committee on Public Accounts joint with the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, by motion of Hon. Marcoleta, Governor Mamba is released from detention today at 9:11 PM and the Sergeant-at-Arms is ordered to implement the same based on his Statement of Undertaking,” Taas said.

“However, the Committees’ Order of Contempt stays and shall automatically be lifted only upon receipt of a copy of withdrawal of the TRO filed by Gov Mamba with the Supreme Court,” he added.

Mamba was cited in contempt after a motion from Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop, who noted that Mamba has failed to attend the joint committee hearings for the past three months.

The Cagayan governor is the subject of the two House panels’ investigation as he was allegedly involved in the  distribution of cash assistance during  a period where such activities are prohibited by election laws.

Earlier, after Mamba attended the joint committee hearing, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said that the Governor’s voluntary surrender is a welcome development, and assured the official that his rights would be protected.

However, Mamba explained his side, saying that he was excused from the House hearings because discussing the issue violates the sub judice rule on the similar cases before the court.

 He also reasoned out that he was unable to attend hearings because the provincial government was focused on assisting residents affected by Typhoon Egay, including those in remote areas.

Mamba was 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.

In March 2023, however, 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.  

 gsg