House quad committee lifts contempt order vs Tumang

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives’ quad committee has lifted the contempt order issued against former Mexico, Pampanga town mayor Teddy Tumang, out of humanitarian and medical considerations.

At the tail end of the hearing on Wednesday, quad committee co-chair and Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano read the motion for reconsideration filed by Tumang, which stated that it was not the former local chief executive’s intention to be evasive.

“We are in receipt of a copy for the motion for reconsideration of former mayor Teddy Tumang with regards to the contempt order that was issued this afternoon Mr. Chairman, and let me read the important part of the motion for reconsideration, paragraph 5 of his motion,” Paduano, who was also the one who moved to cite Tumang for contempt, said.

READ: Quad comm cites ex-mayor Tumang for contempt anew for lying

“And to quote: ‘I express my most profound apologies for any conduct that may have been perceived by this honorable committee to be non-cooperative and disrespectful, and I affirm my commitment once again to help this Honorable committee in all hearings, proceedings, and investigations. With that I humbly beg the compassion and the indulgence to lift the order of contempt, for I have no willful intent to refuse to answer the inquiries,” he added.

READ: Solons order detention of ex-mayor Tumang for violation of House rules

According to Paduano, Tumang said he is suffering from diabetes while his blood pressure was also not good when the House staffers checked on him earlier.

Paduano said his motion, however, will be conditional since it means Tumang will be required to attend the next hearing.

READ: House panel orders Pampanga warehouse owner to attend probe on drug case

“‘I am respectfully appealing to this Honorable committee to reconsider the order of contempt for humanitarian reasons and for medical reasons, I am currently suffering from diabetes and my blood pressure is not good when I was checked by the attending House physician’,” Paduano said, still relaying Tumang’s motion for reconsideration.

“Now with that Mr. Chairman, since I am the movant to cite mayor Teddy Tumang in contempt, before I move Mr. Chairman to lift, I just want to make it clear Mr. Chairman that conditional po ang lifting natin, my motion will be conditional, that in the next hearing, Mr. Tumang should be present, and at the same time, he will truthfully answer all the questions,” he added.

In an ambush interview before he left the hearing area, Tumang said that he is relieved that his motion for reconsideration was granted.

Tumang also reiterated that he had no intention to lie to the committee.

“Okay naman, s’yempre of course wala na tayong stress. Kanina stressed na stressed,” he said.

“Wala naman akong intention, baka hindi lang kami parehas ng interpretasyon […] di naman ako nagsisinungaling. Naayos naman,” he added.

The contempt order was issued against Tumang after he was asked by Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro as to whether he personally knew Willie Ong and Aedy Yang—two Chinese individuals said to be owners of the warehouse in Mexico where the P3.6 billion worth of shabu was delivered last September 2023.

Tumang replied that he did not know Ong and Yang, and that he only met them in the municipal hall. However, Paduano interjected, saying that he has proof that Tumang knew the two Chinese nationals.

Paduano later revealed that he has proof that Tumang actually went to China with Yang—which Tumang eventually confirmed.

This is not the first time that a House panel cited Tumang for contempt. Last November 15, the House committee on dangerous drugs—one of the panels that formed part of the quad committee—ordered Tumang’s detention for mentioning details of an executive session.

Tumang was first dragged into the drug controversy after it was revealed that the Mexico warehouse where the P3.6 billion shabu was delivered was built on land once owned by his brother. The warehouse eventually was discovered to be owned by Empire 999 Realty Corporation, which had Ong and Yang as incorporators.

Tumang, however, denied knowing about the drug operations and having involvement in the illegal activities.