Ilocos execs face long House detention

The six Ilocos Norte officials who were cited for contempt by lawmakers could be detained at the House of Representatives until June 2019 until they truthfully answer questions about an alleged anomaly involving the provincial government’s purchase of P66.45 million worth of vehicles, officials said on Tuesday.

The House Good Government and Public Accountability committee issued the warning to the so-called “Ilocos Six,” but the threat seemed to have fallen on deaf ears as the officials continued to refuse to answer questions. They said they lacked present counsel or that their memories failed them.

Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, in arguing that the House had the right to detain resource persons for refusing to answer questions in aid of legislation, cited Supreme Court jurisprudence, arguing that “some means of compulsion is necessary to obtain the answer that’s needed.”

He said the detention of persons held in contempt may stay in effect for the duration of the term of a particular Congress, in this case “until June 2019.”

“These people can be held until that time,” said Fariñas, an Ilocos Norte representative, a political adversary of Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, who was said to have authorized the transactions.

Marcos’ mother, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, attempted to intercede on her province mates’ behalf, submitting a letter to Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez offering to vouch for the Ilocos Six and to have them freed on her own recognizance.

In her letter, the older Marcos appealed to her colleagues’ sense of compassion, noting that some of the Ilocos Six had fallen ill, with one suffering a minor stroke.

But the committee chair, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, said the panel could not grant Marcos’ request, as the detainees had already been cited for contempt.

The so-called Ilocos Six were ordered detained on May 29 by Alvarez for allegedly refusing to answer questions or being evasive during the congressional inquiry into the alleged irregular procurement.

They were Pedro Agcaoili, chair of the bids and awards committee and provincial planning and development officer; provincial budget officer Evangeline Tabulog; provincial treasurer Josephine Calajate; accountant Eden Battulayan, and treasury office staff Genedine Jambaro and Encarnacion Gaor.

At one point during Tuesday’s hearing, Pimentel said he was giving the Ilocos Norte officials the opportunity to clear themselves of the contempt citation.

“Again, for the last time, I am giving all the six resource persons the opportunity. Are you prepared to answer the questions of this committee?” he asked them.

Agcaoili replied: “We are not prepared as we have no counsel. We forwarded a letter to the House secretary general and we cited our reasons for not responding.”

During the hearing, Fariñas tried to get Battulayan to confirm receiving an audit observation memorandum by the Commission on Audit on the transactions.

Battulayan said it was her first time to see the document and made a tearful entreaty to be released.

“As of this date, we are very much depressed. May I ask that you give us time to verify this audit observation memo? This is my first time to see this, and we are not in the position to answer. We are so depressed we cannot answer the questions. Please let us go home until our minds our stable,” she said.

But Fariñas would not have it, insisting on asking the accountant whether she received a cash advance for the transactions.

“I can’t remember…I am not certain if it was a cash advance or not. Allow us to go home so we can give a valid and truthful answer,” Battulayan said.