Governor Imee Marcos during 2016 Outstanding TOFIL AWARDS held in Malacanang Palace, heroes hall. INQUIRER PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC
The House of Representatives has issued a subpoena against Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos compelling her to attend the July 25 hearing on the alleged misuse of the provincial government鈥檚 tobacco funds.
In its subpoena ad testificandum dated June 25 addressed to Marcos, the House good government and public accountability chairperson Surigao Del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel directed Marcos to attend the scheduled hearing and failure to do so is subject to being cited for contempt.
The subpoena was also signed by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
鈥淵ou are hereby directed to appear before the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability of the House of Representatives to testify under oath relative to the subject matter under inquiry on the Committee Hearing scheduled on July 25, 2017, 9:30 a.m. at the Conference Room 1 and 2 Ramon Mitra Building, House of Representatives, Batasan Pambansa Complex, Constitution Hills, Quezon City,鈥� the subpoena read.
鈥淔ailure to comply with this order is subject to penalty under the law,鈥� it added.
Marcos has vowed to defy the subpoena and skip the hearing for fear of arrest, supposedly upon the instructions of her brother former senator Bongbong Marcos.
Bongbong, a defeated vice presidential candidate, faces possible contempt charges for advising Imee to ignore the subpoena, Pimentel said Wednesday, adding that Imee may be ordered arrested soon if she keeps on snubbing the probe.
搁贰础顿:听鈥楧etention chamber鈥� readied for聽Imee聽Marcos聽if she snubs House hearing
Following the threat by the lower house that Imee鈥檚 detention place is already prepared for July鈥檚 hearing, majority leader Rudy Fari帽as who initiated the investigation was declared persona non grata in his own province by the Sanggunian Panlalawigan.
Fari帽as vowed to retaliate by filing graft charges and seeking damages from the provincial board for declaring him an alien in his own district.
READ: Fari帽as聽to sue Ilocos Norte board members for persona non grata declaration
The Ilocos Norte provincial government declared Fari帽as as persona non grata as the lower house upon Fari帽as鈥� move detained six of its officials for contempt after they failed to respond to questions during the House inquiry into the alleged misuse of the provincial government鈥檚 tobacco funds.
The lower house has refused to comply with the Court of Appeals鈥� granting of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus ordering the release of the officials detained since May 29.
The refusal of the lower house to comply with the writ resulted in a clash with the Court of Appeals, which was even threatened to be abolished by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
搁贰础顿:听House, judiciary showdown looms over 鈥業locos Six鈥�
In calling for the probe, Fari帽as alleged that about P66.45 million tobacco funds were used to purchase minicabs, buses and minitrucks for the different Ilocos Norte municipalities, even though the law鈥擱epublic Act 7171鈥攖hat imposed the tax on Virginia cigarettes states that the excise tax should be used for livelihood projects and infrastructure projects benefitting the tobacco farmers.
Fari帽as is on his last term in Congress, raising speculation that he would challenge聽Marcos鈥� anointed one in the provincial capitol.聽Marcos聽is on her last term as governor.
The House inquiry into the tobacco funds mess implicating Marcos is setting the stage for the 2019 elections where a face-off is expected between the Marcoses and the Fari帽ases, Ilocos Norte鈥檚 most prominent political clans asserting dominance over the province.聽JE/rga
搁贰础顿:听Alvarez keeps local execs detained at House in defiance of CA order