Police Col. Hector Grijaldo faces the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which has been investigating the drug struggle throughout the time period of former President Rodrigo Duterte, on October 28, 2024. Screengrab from Senate Livestream
The Home of Representatives cited former Mandaluyong Metropolis police chief Hector Grijaldo in contempt on Thursday and ordered him arrested after he didn’t attend a joint committee listening to for the fourth time.
Taguig Rep. Amparo Zamora moved to have Grijaldo held in contempt after a Philippine Nationwide Police medical analysis discovered him match to seem earlier than the quad committee.
READ: Grijaldo skips Home quad panel probe for the 4th time; held in contempt
The panel composed of the committees on harmful medicine, public order and security, human rights and public accounts has been investigating supposed hyperlinks amongst offshore gaming operators, Chinese language syndicates, the unlawful drug commerce and extrajudicial killings within the nation.
“Sorry Mr. Chair, however I believe we’ve given him sufficient leeway,” Zamora instructed the quad committee chair, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers. “We’ve been so affected person with him and I believe it’s the fitting time to make an applicable movement.”
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Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong moved that Grijaldo be detained on the Home’s detention facility till after the panel concludes its hearings.
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Grijaldo has not returned since his look on the Oct. 28 Senate listening to the place he accused two quad committee cochairs, Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante
Jr, and Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, of attempting to coerce him to corroborate former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Workplace (PCSO) basic supervisor Royina Garma’s testimony underneath the Duterte drug struggle.
He was summoned as a result of he was the Mandaluyong police chief on the time PCSO board member Wesley Barayuga was killed, allegedly underneath the orders of Garma and former Nationwide Police Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo.
Excuses
Since then, Grijaldo has skipped Home hearings, saying he needed to endure surgical procedure for his rotator cuff syndrome.
However Police Lt. Col. Lionel Garcia, orthopedic division chief of the PNP Basic Hospital, testified earlier than the Home panel that the affected person was “awake, coherent, cooperative and ambulatory.”
Grijaldo is now dealing with an administrative case for neglect of obligation after he repeatedly didn’t attend legislative hearings, in line with Police Col. Rowena Acosta, chief of the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit.
The PNP disclosed that Grijaldo was given 10 days to answer to the executive expenses.
Whereas Thursday’s quad comm listening to was the final scheduled for the 12 months, Barbers clarified that the panel was nonetheless after former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
“He nonetheless has lots of inquiries to reply to the Filipino folks,” Barbers mentioned of Roque and his spouse Mylah, who had been each cited in contempt in September for refusing to attend hearings.
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The previous presidential spokesperson appeared to have left the nation after the Home held him in contempt for refusing to clarify and submit paperwork regarding his alleged ties to Fortunate South 99, an offshore gaming operator in Porac, Pampanga, that was raided for unlawful actions.
