QuadComm 'conditionally’ lifts contempt order vs ex-mayor Tumang

The House of Representatives Quad Committee (QuadComm) on Wednesday evening lifted the contempt order earlier issued against former Mexico, Pampanga mayor Teddy Tumang due to health concerns.

Abang Lingkod Partylist Representative Stephen Paduano, who also moved to detain Tumang, made the motion to lift the order after reading Tumang’s motion for reconsideration.

“I express my most profound apologies for any conduct that may have been perceived by this honorable committee to be non-cooperative and disrespectful. I affirm my commitment once again to help this honorable committee to help this honorable committee in all hearings, proceedings, and investigations,” the motion read.

“I’m appealing to this honorable committee to reconsider the order of contempt for humanitarian reasons and for medical reasons. I’m currently suffering from diabetes and my blood pressure was not good when I was checked by the House physician,” it further read.

But Paduano said that the lifting of the order is “conditional.”

“My motion will be conditional that in the next hearing Mr. Tumang should be present and at the same time he will truthfully answer all the questions  that will be raised by the members of this committee. With that, Mr. Chairman, I move to lift the order of contempt for Mr. Teddy Tumang on the basis that I have manifested a while ago. So move, Mr. Chairman,” the lawmaker said.

The motion was approved by the QuadComm.

Tumang earlier asked to be excused from the hearing amid heated questioning by House lawmakers, saying he felt ill.

The former mayor was cited in contempt earlier in the day when he claimed that he did not personally know a certain Aedy Yang, a Chinese citizen who is an incorporator of Empire 999 Realty, Inc. located in Mexico, Pampanga.

On September 2023, authorities seized P3.6 billion worth of drugs inside a warehouse owned by a certain Willie Ong in Mexico Pampanga. Based on Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency records, Chinese businessmen Willie Ong and Aedy Yang are incorporators of Empire 999 Realty, Inc.

Tumang tried to reason out by saying that he only met Ong twice, and first met Yang in Fujian, China before meeting him subsequently since Yang wants to buy land in Mexico, Pampanga.

Based on Land Registration Authority records, there are 30 land titles under Empire 999 Realty, Inc., including the land where the multi-billion warehouse drug raid happened. 

The Philippine Constitution states that foreigners are prohibited from owning land in the country.

‘Wala ng stress’

Tumang freely walked out of the hearing after the conditional lifting of his contempt order.

“Okay naman. Siyempre, wala na tayong stress,” Tumang told members of the media. 

(I feel okay. Of course, we're no longer stressed.)

On the order by the QuadComm that be placed in House detention for allegedly lying, Tumang explained: “Wala naman akong intention. Baka hindi lang kami parehas ng interpretation…Hindi naman ako nagsisinungaling. Naayos naman.” 

(I had no intention. Maybe we just didn't have the same interpretation...I'm not lying. Anyway, we fixed it.)—With a report from Bea Pinlac/RF, GMA Integrated News