House panel issues show cause order to three CA justices

June 20, 2017

A House committee voted Tuesday to issue a show cause order to three Court of Appeals justices who ordered six employees of the Ilocos Norte provincial government released from their detention for refusing to appear in hearing on the use of tobacco excise tax. Voting 30-0, the committee on good government and public accountability approved the motion of Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali to issue the show cause order to Court of Appeals Acting Presiding Justice of the 4 th Division Stephen Cruz and Justices Erwin Sorongon and Nina Antonino-Valenzuela for issuing a writ of habeas corpus. The House committee also rejected a request by Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos release the six on her recognizance. The three justices ordered the House to release Ilocos Norte treasurer Josephine Calajate, accountant Edna Batulayan, budget officer Evangeline Tabulog, bids and awards committee head Pedro Agcaoili as well as Genedine Jambaro and Encarnacion Gaor of the provincial treasurer’s office. They have been detained since May 29 at the House of Representatives after they were cited in contempt for giving unsatisfactory answers on the alleged fraudulent use of P66.45 million in public funds representing the province's share of excise tax collections from locally manufactured Virginia type cigarettes. The three justices also issued a show cause order against Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and House Sergeant-at-Arms Roland Detabali to explain why they should not be cited in contempt for ignoring their June 9 ruling to provisionally release the six officials. The Ilocos Norte officials refused to answer questions during the hearing, saying that they have to find a lawyer. House Majority Floor Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep Rodolfo Fariñas warned them their detention will last until the end of the 17th Congress on June 30, 2019 if they will not cooperative. Citing a case, Fariñas said the Supreme Court upheld Congress’ power to cite a person in contempt and detain him or her until the last day of Congress’ session. “ So this particular Congress, its life will end June 30, 2019, so these people can be held in contempt until that time,” said Fariñas. DMS