The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday denied Harry Roque’s prayer for a writ of amparo claiming that the House of Representatives Quad Committee’s contempt and detention orders threaten his rights to life, liberty, and security.
The SC also directed the Quad Committee to comment on the petition for prohibition, within 10 days from receipt of the Resolution.
The former presidential spokesperson had asked the Court to prohibit the Quad Committee from arresting him, requiring him to attend future hearings, and producing documents.
The SC sitting En Banc held that amparo is not the proper remedy against Congressional contempt and detention orders.
The scope of amparo is limited to extralegal killings and enforced disappearances, or threats thereof, which are not present in this case, according to the High Tribunal.
Kabalikat ng Mamamayan (KABAYAN) party-list Rep. Ron Salo earlier called on Roque to comply with the processes set by the House Quad Committee.
Salo issued the statement on Tuesday at a press briefing after filing the Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) of his party-list organization. Reporters asked him of his thoughts about Roque’s circumstances, facing a contempt order from the House lawmakers at present.
Roque has been issued a warrant of arrest after snubbing subsequent hearings by the House Quad Committee, which is looking into his alleged involvement with the controversial Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
“Of course, our appeal to him (Roque) to heed the summons of Congress since it has the authority to do so. This is not yet a ‘conviction.’ The Congress only asks him for an explanation, especially the documents he committed to submit to the House Committee, which he has yet to deliver,” Salo said.
Salo also said he observed that Roque must be feeling ‘stressed’ based on his recent video.
The former spokesperson has been actively using social media to publicly address the issues confronting him instead of appearing at the congressional hearings.
“We saw his video. He looked a bit stressed. And I suppose that stress is coming from his disobedience. It’s like being in a household, whenever we fail to follow an instruction, we feel a bit stressed because you’re in conflict with the authority,” he explained.
“The only way for you to relieve it, to ‘de-stress,’ is to heed the committee,” Salo added, noting that he is not in favor of Roque’s behavior. He said the KABAYAN party-list is standing by its principle of respecting the rule of law.
Salo founded KABAYAN in 2009 and Roque served as its party-list representative from 2016-2017 during the 17th Congress. The latter was expelled by the organization for his ‘dishonorable behavior’ during a House of Representatives hearing on the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison.
KABAYAN was among the first party-list organizations to file its CONA before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) at the Manila Hotel tent, coinciding with Day 1 of the filing of the certificates of candidacy for all aspiring political candidates in the 2025 National and Local Elections.
