Quadcom orders Grijaldo's arrest for skipping hearing for 4th time
Philippine News Agency
By Filane Mikee Cervantes
December 12, 2024, 8:21 pm Updated on December 12, 2024, 9:41 pm
MANILA -- The House of Representatives Quad Committee (quadcom) on Thursday ordered the arrest of Col. Hector Grijaldo after citing him in contempt for skipping its hearings for the fourth time.
Taguig City Rep. Pammy Zamora, who made the motion to cite Grijaldo in contempt, said she was unconvinced by the police official's reason that he is recovering from shoulder surgery.
"Sobrang bait na natin sa kanya (We've been too lenient with him) and I think it's the right time to make an appropriate motion. Sumosobra na siya (This is too much)," Zamora said.
"This is, I believe, his fourth time to skip the quadcom. Pero sa Senate, wala naman siyang rotator cuff syndrome (But in the Senate, he didn't have any rotator cuff syndrome)."
The motion was approved by quadcom lead chair, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, after it was seconded without objections.
The committee agreed to detain Grijaldo within the House premises until its hearings conclude.
"There is a motion to detain Col. Hector Grijaldo in the detention facility of the House of Representatives until the quadcom terminates its committee hearing. Is there any second? Duly seconded. Any objections? Hearing none, the motion is approved," Barbers said.
Col. Dominic Guevara, head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital, provided an update on Grijaldo's condition, noting that a Dec. 3 evaluation and a Dec. 5 follow-up confirmed his recovery from surgery.
Lt. Col. Lionel Garcia, chief of the Orthopedic Department, said Grijaldo had started post-surgery physiotherapy and could potentially attend the hearings, pending his attending doctor's approval.
"Upon checking the patient, the patient is awake, coherent, cooperative, and ambulatory," Garcia said. "On my orthopedic point of view, the patient may be able to attend this hearing but depende po 'yan kung papayagan siya ng kanyang attending doctor (it depends on whether his attending doctor permits it)."
Administrative charges
Col. Rowena Acosta, chief of the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit, said that Grijaldo could face administrative charges for neglect of duty due to his repeated absences from legislative hearings.
"Last Nov. 26, the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management informed us that they are currently conducting a pre-charge investigation and admin case of neglect of duty regarding his absence last Nov. 7," Acosta said.
"When he again failed to appear on Nov. 27, another notice to explain was issued, and the case was referred to the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management."
Grijaldo, a key resource person in the quadcom's investigation into the previous administration's drug war, last appeared before the Senate in October.
During his Senate appearance, Grijaldo accused quadcom co-chairs, Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., of pressuring him to corroborate testimony about an alleged reward system tied to the Duterte administration's war on drugs.
Both lawmakers denied the accusations, calling them fabricated.
Former PDEA chief cited in contempt
The quadcom also cited former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Wilkins Villanueva in contempt for refusing to answer lawmakers' questions.
Questions centered on the detention of Jed Pilapil-Sy, the wife of alleged drug financier Allan Sy, without a warrant of arrest following a December 2004 raid on a clandestine shabu laboratory in Davao City.
Abang Lingkod Party-list Representative Stephen Paduano moved to cite Villanueva for contempt, accusing him of being evasive and dishonest about his agency's handling of Pilapil-Sy's detention.
Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales criticized Villanueva for his apparent lack of awareness regarding Pilapil-Sy's detention, considering he was the PDEA chief at the time of the incident.
"Ikaw ang head of the agency. Kailangan po alam niyo yun (You are the head of the agency. You should know this)," Gonzales said. " Si Ma'am Jed ay nakulong siya na walang warrant of arrest. Parang kidnapping po ang ginawa ninyo, yun ang nakikita ko, kung walang warrant of arrest kung hindi niyo binalik si ma'am Jed (Ma'am Jed was detained without a warrant of arrest. This seems like kidnapping, the way I see it, if she was not returned)."
Villanueva denied knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Sy's detention, claiming that he was engaged in follow-up operations at the time.
"Ang instruction ko is conduct interview on Jed Pilapil because talagang person of interest siya, Mr. Chair. As to detaining her, no personal knowledge ako, Mr. Chair, kasi nagpa follow up operation kami doon (My instruction was to conduct an interview on Jed Pilapil because she was a person of interest, Mr. Chair. As to detaining her, I have no personal knowledge, Mr. Chair, as we were conducting follow-up operations at the time)," Villanueva said.
Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop cited Villanueva's role as the overall ground commander of the drug operation.
"Ikaw ang (You are the) overall ground commander. Then you are the one responsible for what your men will do or not do… under the principle of command responsibility," Acop said.
Acop said Villanueva should be accountable for any wrongdoing that occurred during the operation.
Paduano expressed frustration over Villanueva's repeated denials.
"Eto last warning ko sayo ha… (This is my last warning to you) you're lying. You're not respecting this committee (This is my last warning to you… you're lying. You're not respecting this committee)," " Paduano said, before moving to cite Villanueva for contempt.
Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers, lead chair of quadcom, approved the motion without objection.
Villanueva's detention will begin on Jan. 13, 2025, following the congressional Christmas recess.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo vowed to bring Grijaldo to the next quadcom hearing.
She said Grijaldo is under restrictive custody, the restriction started when the latter's name cropped up during the House's investigation into the alleged reward system during the Duterte administration's drug war.
Fajardo said the PNP respects Congress' decision to cite Grijaldo for contempt.
Grijaldo is a classmate of retired police colonel and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chief Royima Garma. (with Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
