Show cause order issued vs. ex-Cagayan officials over House probe absence

The joint House Committees on Public Accounts and Suffrage and Electoral Reforms issued a show cause order against two former Cagayan provincial government officials and a radio station's executives to explain why they should not be cited for contempt over their continued absence from a congressional probe on alleged vote buying/aid distribution just before the 2022 polls.

The committees issued the order on a former Cagayan provincial administrator, and a former Cagayan provincial health officer, as well as officials of Bombo Radyo Tuguegarao.

House Committee on Public Accounts Chairperson and Abang Lingkod party-list Representative Stephen Paduano said the former provincial officials could not continually ignore the committee probe on a whim.

“This is already the seventh hearing. It is only proper for Bombo Radyo and these other individuals to be issued a show cause order for explanation why they should not be cited in contempt by this committee. This is supposedly the last hearing,” Paduano said.

GMA News Online has sought comment from Bombo Radyo Tuguegarao and will publish radio station's reply as soon as it becomes available.

Cagayan Provincial Police Director Police Colonel Julio Gorospe told the committee that their attempts to serve the House committees’ subpoena on the former provincial officials had failed because they were not in their residences during the delivery date of the summons.

“This is so puzzling because you were given ample time for this," responded committee member and Cagayan Representative Jojo Lara.  "Why can’t you serve it? [M]insan, nadaanan ko pa ito sa tapat ng bahay niya. Hindi ba nakakahiya para sa pulis ito?"

(I once saw the former official in front of his house. Isn’t this embarrassing for the police?)

“These are known personalities. The committee should address this because this probe will only drag on because of the absence of these resource persons,” added Lara.

Paduano warned Gorospe that the committees would cite him and other Cagayan police officers in contempt over their continued failure to serve the subpoena.

“If ever you did not exert best effort, we can cite you in contempt for undue interference because this is now the seventh hearing. They are not common criminals. Can you commit now at least that they will receive it [next time]? Or else, I will call for a separate investigation, and even the PNP, to investigate what you have done,” Paduano said.

“This has been going on for so many months. I will direct the chief of police to be present in my committee. Tignan natin sino ang mapahiya. Do not force me, and my committee! I will not hesitate to move to cite you in contempt,” Paduano added.

(Let’s see who gets to be humiliated.)

“We will continue to look to the said persons, Sir. Best effort kaming naghahanap sa dalawang ito, sir,” replied Gorospe.
 
(We will exert our best effort in locating them, Sir.) — DVM, GMA Integrated News