Bauan, Batangas Mayor Ryanh Dolor—who was cited for contempt over his repeated absence in congressional hearings—is now detained at the House of Representatives shortly after arriving from the United States early Thursday.
House Sergeant-at-Arms ret. Police Maj. Gen. Napoleon Taas confirmed the detention of Dolor, who was taken into custody upon arrival at the NAIA Terminal 1 in Pasay City at 12:08 a.m. on March 27.
The 45-year-old Dolor arrived via Philippine Airlines flight PR 113 from Los Angeles, California, which landed at 11:34 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26.
The arrest was carried out nearly half past midnight by a joint team led by the Office of the House Sergeant-at-Arms in coordination with the House of Representatives Liaison Officer, Airport Police, Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and the Bureau of Immigration.
The order was served for Dolor’s violation of Section 11, Paragraph A of the House Rules of Procedure Governing Inquiries in Aid of Legislation, which pertains to refusal without legal excuse to obey summons.
The contempt order was signed on March 17 by House committee on public accounts chairman Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano of Abang Lingkod party-list and attested by House Secretary General Reginald Velasco.
Dolor allegedly defied orders to appear in the legislative inquiry into the privatization of the Bauan Waterworks System despite multiple summonses. Also named in the contempt and detention order were Aquadata, Inc. president and vice president, respectively, Joseph and Jonathan Yu.
Taas said they read the order to Dolor and informed him of his constitutional rights in a language he understood. He underwent the required medical checkup before he was taken to the House detention facility.
Dolor’s office submitted a travel authority signed by Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas, allowing him to travel to the United States from March 11 to 26 for medical reasons. But lawmakers questioned the lack of medical records or specific justification in the excuse letter.
Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores said Dolor’s extended travel authority coincided suspiciously with the dates of the panel’s scheduled hearings.
The investigation arose from House Resolution No. 2148 authored by La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V, seeking an inquiry into the alleged misuse of public funds and irregularities in the Bauan local government’s dealings with Aquadata, Inc.