Police Colonel Grijaldo was cited in contempt on Thursday, for skipping the Quad Committee hearing four times.
The mega panel carried Taguig-Pateros 2nd District Rep. Amparo Maria Zamora’s motion to cite the Police Colonel for his repeated absences. Before the lawmaker’s motion, Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano noted that a show-cause order had already been issued to Grijaldo last November 8. Consequently, a subpoena ad testificandum was also issued to him a day prior.
Grijaldo’s Health Status
The letter submitted by PltCol. Leonell Garcia, the Chief of the Orthopedic Department of the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital, indicated that based on his medical opinion, Grijaldo is physically able to attend the hearing.
“Based on my medical opinion, the patient is ambulatory and capable of moving independently. Therefore, he is physically able to attend the hearing,” his letter read.
“However, as his overall health condition, it would be prudent to confer with his attending physician,” it added.
Additionally, the panel asked that the PNP medical doctors give an update on Grijaldo’s health status.
Chief of the PNP General Hospital Pcol. Dominic Guevarra mentioned that last December 3, the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM) of the PNP sent a memo for the PNP Health Service to conduct a “validation and medical evaluation” on Grijaldo’s condition. At that time, he was confined at a Pasig Health Facility.
The Health Service was able to dispatch a medical team to conduct the needed procedure.
Additionally, PltCol. Garcia mentioned that Grijaldo went to the Pasig Doctors Medical Center last December 5, to assess his orthopedic condition.
“Last December 5, we went to Pasig Doctors Medical Center to assess the orthopedic condition of PCol. Grijaldo. Upon checking the patient, the patient is awake, coherent, cooperative, and ambulatory,” Garcia said.
Moreover, Grijaldo also underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery last December 2, including physiotherapy.
“On my orthopedic point of view, yes the patient may be able to attend this hearing, but depende po ‘yon sir kung papayagan siya ng kanyang attending physician. Hindi ko po nakita yung kanyang medical record, which hindi po kami pinayagan ng hospital na makita yung kanyang record,” Garcia noted.
Grijaldo’s Contempt Citation
However, Zamora highlighted how Grijaldo did not mention the same things during the Senate hearing, and motioned that the police colonel be cited in contempt.
“I think it’s the right time to make an appropriate motion. Sumosobra na siya. This is I believe his fourth time to skip the Quad Comm—pero sa Senate wala naman siyang rotator cuff syndrome. I’m sorry but I really believe it’s high time that with the indulgence of all the chairmen, that I move to cite Colonel Hector Grijaldo in contempt,” she said.
The motion was approved by Quad Comm Chairman and Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, citing the police colonel’s failure to attend the Committee hearing four times.
“Please relay to the PNP and the appropriate department where Colonel Grijaldo is an active member, that the House Committee or the Quad Comm has cited him in contempt,” Barbers said.
“Therefore, ang kasunod nito ay isang order na manggangaling sa komiteng ito to arrest Colonel Hector Grijaldo for violating the rules of procedure governing inquiries in aid of legislation of the House of Representatives,” he added.
Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong moved that the contempt order be effective until the Quad Comm renders its community report. Also, he moved that Grijaldo be detained at the House Detention Facility until the community hearing’s termination.
The Quad Committee conducted its last hearing on POGOs on Thursday, lifting Alice Guo, Cassandra Ong, and Tony Yang’s contempt order. They are currently detained in separate facilities and are facing charges related to POGO crimes.
