Finally appearing at the hearings on alleged corruption in the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Faeldon failed to hurdle the contempt citation imposed on him by the Senate four months ago.
鈥�(Faeldon) will now be remanded to the custody of the Pasay City jail upon order of commitment by the Senate president, and it was agreed upon unanimously,鈥� Gordon said.
Faeldon, now deputy administrator of the Office of the Civil Defense, figured in heated exchanges with Gordon twice during the 2-hour long hearing, with the senator calling him 鈥渁rrogant鈥� and 鈥渄efiant鈥� and, at one point, telling him he would have a 鈥渓ong vacation鈥� in the Senate.
In contempt
The senators 鈥渦nanimously鈥� declared that Faeldon would 鈥渞emain charged with contempt,鈥� Gordon said hours after the hearing.
Faeldon was sent back to the Senate basement, where he had been staying since September last year after he was cited in contempt by the committee for refusing to testify and appear at the hearings.
Under threat of being transferred to the Pasay jail if he continued to refuse to attend the hearings, Faeldon showed up before the start of the session and immediately went to Gordon.
But he immediately tangled with Gordon when the senator mentioned that during his detention in the Senate, the committee had allowed him to hold parties there attended by his father and relatives, among others.
Gordon also claimed that the Senate had spent about P400,000 for Faeldon鈥檚 stay in the Senate premises.
Long dead father
Responding to Gordon鈥檚 statement, Faeldon said he did not agree with the rest of what the senator said.
鈥淢y father has been long dead. I never had a party with my father here in the Senate or with anybody,鈥� Faeldon said.
鈥淵ou are exaggerating,鈥� he told Gordon, who shot back: 鈥淒on鈥檛 tell me I鈥檓 exaggerating. You have no right to tell me anything.鈥�
Faeldon said he attended the hearing because it was now his duty as a government employee.
鈥淣ot that I expect that you will lead this committee to find out the truth. You are [very] far from getting that, your honor,鈥� he said.
Gordon then told Faeldon he would remain in contempt.
鈥淚鈥檝e no problem with that, your honor,鈥� Faeldon replied.
The exchange became more heated after Faeldon said he had told Gordon since September that he was ready to answer questions of senators through an affidavit. He said the senators did not respond to his offer.
鈥楳onologuing, lecturing鈥�
Gordon cut off Faeldon, but the latter continued by saying the senator was 鈥渕onologuing and lecturing.鈥�
鈥淭his is the reason why I do not want to attend here because you鈥檙e not interested [in] the truth,鈥� Faeldon said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e been monologuing even your colleagues.鈥�
Gordon turned off the microphone after that exchange.
The two men bickered again when Gordon asked about whether justice had been given to Customs Deputy Commissioner Art Lachica, who was killed in an ambush and why Faeldon did not investigate the latter鈥檚 death.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e trying to demonize me,鈥� Faeldon told Gordon.