MANILA, Philippines —The House of Representatives’ quad committee cited lawyer and former presidential spokesman Harry Roque in contempt on Thursday.for failing to attend a hearing investigating the drug war under the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
The committee ordered a 24-hour House detention for Roque who, in his defense, said his failure to be at the hearing in Pampanga last week was an “honest mistake.”
“Your Honor. I have also been a member of this chamber. We don’t hold hearings on Fridays. So when I saw the notice of hearing, I assumed that, just like the first and the second hearing where I attended, that it would be on a Thursday,” Roque said.
“And that is true that I had a hearing both in the morning and in the afternoon. And that is why I sent that letter,” he said.
“By the time I realized that it was a Friday and there was in fact a hearing, it was… close already to lunchtime and the hearing was in Pampanga”, he said.
“So I apologize for the honest mistake…”, he said.
“Had I had any intentions not to appear, I would not have appeared today as well,” he said.
He also said he has “no wish to disrespect” the House.
Roque in an August 13 letter said he would not be able to join the House hearing on August 16 because he had a schedule at the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC).
The letter was addressed to Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers who is the designated chairman of the quad committee.
On August 19, the RTC clerk of court certified that Roque did not appear on August 16 in the branches enumerated in its certification.
The RTC clerk of court also certified that its Branch 21’s clerk of court said that Roque appeared before Branch 21 on August 15.
Kabayan Rep. Ron Salo moved to cite him in contempt.
Meanwhile, Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza said, “He (Roque) apologized… I wasn’t disrespected…”
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