Pimentel threatens to order detention of Gov. Marcos

House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability Chairman, Rep. Johnny Pimentel has guaranteed Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos’s detention should she skip the next hearing on local tobacco fund misuse that is being investigated by the panel.

Pimentel, who represents Surigao del Sur’s second district, said in a statement Tuesday that the lady governor’s detention space at the House of Representatives (HOR) is in fact “being readied.”

This, after Marcos publicly stated that she will not be attending the scheduled hearing next month, or right after the start of the second regular session of the 17th Congress.

“We had the chamber prepared right after Governor Marcos publicly declared that she will dodge our July 25 hearing, despite our subpoena and show cause order compelling her to explain satisfactorily why she should not be held in contempt for her brazen defiance,” Pimentel said.

“She’ll be okay in detention, though she might miss certain luxuries, considering the high life she’s accustomed to,” he added, somewhat taking a dig at her.

Gov. Marcos is the daughter of late strongman president Ferdinand Marcos. Her mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, is Pimentel’s HOR colleague, being Ilocos Norte’s second district representative.

For nearly two months now, Pimentel’s Committee has been probing the provincial government’s alleged misappropriation of R66.45 million in public funds, representing Ilocos Norte’s share of excise tax collections from locally manufactured Virginia type cigarettes.

The money, released in three cash advances from 2011 to 2012 upon the approval of the governor, was used to buy 144 vehicles. There was reportedly no competitive public bidding held.

Six provincial executives have been detained at the House since May 29 “for their contemptuous act of giving evasive answers, tantamount to refusal to answer” questions about the money, which under law is meant for the benefit of tobacco farmers.

An emergency hearing was called on June 20 to give the local officials in custody a final chance to tell all on the alleged fund misapplication. However, they still gave evasive answers to the panel.

After repeatedly snubbing the panel’s prior invitations for her to testify on the matter, Gov. Marcos was finally subpoenaed to the fourth hearing onJuly 25.