House panels to detain Cagayan administrator for contempt

THE House joint committees on public accounts, and suffrage and electoral reforms have ordered the detention for contempt of Cagayan provincial administrator lawyer Maria Rosario Mamba Villaflor in connection with the alleged misuse of public funds during the 2022 elections. At the same time, the joint committee gave Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba until August 10 to explain why he should not be likewise cited in contempt for failure to attend the congressional inquiry despite several invitations sent to him The joint panel, chaired by ABANG

LINGKOD party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano and Mountain Province Rep. Maximo Dalog Jr, respectively, has been conducting hearings on the alleged “open and massive distribution of cash and other forms of assistance to registered voters and barangays in Cagayan during the prohibited period from March 25, 2022 to May 9, 2022.

Congress has the power to cite in contempt resource persons invited in committee meetings if they are deemed uncooperative or evasive during congressional inquiries. Contempt of the Congress may be penalized by indefinite detention at the premises of the House of Representatives.

During the hearing, legislators led by Paduano were disappointed with Villaflor for preventing 10 Cagayan provincial officials to attend the joint inquiry last Monday to shed light on the issue.

The concerned Cagayan provincial officers were Vita Vergara, Catalino Arugay, Maritel Bautista, Kristine Reyes, Ma. Anita Obispo, Amelia Manalo, Rosario Mandac, Heracleo Dumapal, Roselle Buncad, Daisy Baguisi, and lawyer Rogelio Taliping.