Senate body cites Faeldon for contempt

Nicanor Faeldon INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

The Senate blue ribbon committee cited for contempt former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon for not appearing in Thursday’s hearing on the P6.4-billion “shabu” (crystal meth) shipment from China despite a subpoena.

Faeldon did not respond to requests for comment.

The committee chair, Sen. Richard Gordon, said Faeldon should appear at the next hearing set on Monday or he would be ordered arrested.

“The sergeant at arms is ordered to make sure that he gets the information and that he is brought here on Monday,” Gordon said before he suspended the hearing.

Faeldon was a no-show for the third time at the hearing. He wrote the committee that his nonappearance was “to protect my rights and  the rights of innocent resources currently invited and those you will be inviting in future.”

In his Sept. 6 letter, Faeldon said he had not been given the chance to fully explain his side during the two hearings he had attended.

He also protested Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s  accusation that he regularly took bribe money from importers. —WITH A REPORT FROM PHILIP C. TUBEZA