MANILA, Philippines — The lawyer of Cassandra Ong has accused the House of Representatives’ quad committee of abusing the “contempt power of legislature” following the new contempt citation that the panel issued to his client.
According to Ong’s legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio, he could not understand why the lawmakers do not respect his client’s “right to remain silent” which is even guaranteed under the Constitution.
“When you take your oath of office, you swear to uphold and protect all the laws of the Philippines, including the Constitution. They are the lawmakers but they are the ones who break the laws,” he said in an online interview.
Topacio also charged that the panel did not follow an injunction order of the Supreme Court in Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. executive Lincoln Ong versus the Senate Blue Ribbon committee in 2023, wherein the tribunal ruled that “if you accuse someone of contempt of the committee, there should be due process; let them explain.”
The lawyer made the statement after Ong, who is currently serving a 30-day detention at a House facility from her first contempt citation, was cited in contempt anew by the panel.
Ong was accused of “lying” after claiming at a hearing that she could not remember her classmates in an Alternative Learning System or ALS class that she supposedly attended.
The committee ordered Ong to be transferred to the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City for 30 days after serving her current detention in the House which would end on Sept. 30.
Topacio noted a person could not be immediately accused of lying “just because they have a different opinion from what they are saying.”
“If they say a person is lying about something, you confront her with evidence proving the contrary of what she is saying,” he added.
He stressed that doing so is committing abuse “in a manner that is unprecedented in the history of our legislature.”
Quad committee co-chair and Sta. Rosa, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez refuted Topacio’s statement, saying that the actions taken by the panel “are made within the bounds of rules of the House.”
“The actions of the quad comm emanated from the approval of all the members of the 19th Congress. Each and every member of the House was elected by the majority of the people of this country. We voted on the rules of the House,” he underscored.
Fernandez added the lawyer may accuse them of “anything and everything to protect the interest of their client.”
“Lawyers are hired to protect the interest of their clients. We are hired by the people to protect the interest of the nation,” he said in a text message. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab