Taguig City: The House of Representatives Quad Committee has ordered the arrest of Col. Hector Grijaldo after he failed to attend its hearings for the fourth time, citing him in contempt. The committee’s decision came after Grijaldo claimed he was recovering from shoulder surgery, a justification that lawmakers found unconvincing.
According to Philippines News Agency, Rep. Pammy Zamora initiated the motion to cite Grijaldo in contempt, arguing that the police official’s repeated absences were inexcusable. The motion was quickly seconded and approved by quadcom lead chair Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, who announced that Grijaldo would be detained within the House premises until the hearings conclude.
Col. Dominic Guevara, head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital, confirmed Grijaldo’s recovery from surgery, while Lt. Col. Lionel Garcia added that Grijaldo could potentially attend the hearings, pending his doctor’s approval. Grijaldo now faces possible administrative charges for neglect of duty
due to his repeated absences from legislative hearings.
Col. Rowena Acosta noted that the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management is conducting a pre-charge investigation into Grijaldo’s absence and failure to appear at previous hearings. Grijaldo, a key figure in the quadcom’s investigation into the Duterte administration’s drug war, last appeared before the Senate in October, where he accused two lawmakers of pressuring him to corroborate testimony about an alleged reward system.
In a separate development, the quadcom also cited former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Wilkins Villanueva in contempt for refusing to answer questions regarding the detention of Jed Pilapil-Sy, the wife of an alleged drug financier, without a warrant in 2004. The motion was approved by Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, with Villanueva’s detention set to begin after the congressional Christmas recess.
Philippine National Police spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo stated that Grijaldo is under restrictive custod
y and that the PNP respects the decision to cite him for contempt, reaffirming their commitment to bring him to the next quadcom hearing. Grijaldo is known to be a classmate of retired police colonel and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chief Royima Garma.
