MANILA — The police officer who repeatedly skipped the House Quad Committee’s hearing, has been detained at the House of Representatives after he was cited in contempt last Thursday, according to Quad Comm Lead Co-Chairperson Representative Robert Ace Barbers.

Police Colonel Hector Grijaldo, who skipped the mega-panel’s hearing for the fourth consecutive time on Thursday, was ordered detained at the lower chamber until the Quad Comm terminates its probe.

“Si Colonel Grijaldo ay naka-detain ngayon sa detention facility ng House of Representatives simula noong December 14… Dito na siya magpa-Pasko at magba-Bagong Taon,” Barbers told the media on Monday.

“He wants to stay in the hospital and have a hospital arrest. But of course we did not allow that, because sabi ng mga doctors niya ambulatory siya, pwede siyang maglakad. There’s no reason for him to stay in the hospital,” he added.

READ: Grijaldo cited in contempt after skipping House quad comm probe for fourth time

Grijaldo started skipping the hearings at the lower chamber after he alleged before the Senate that Quad Comm Co-chairperson Rep. Dan Fernandez him to confirm the supplemental affidavit of former police officer Royina Garma, where she claimed that P20,000 to P1 million were given as reward for drug suspects killed in the Duterte administration’s drug war. 

Another co-chairperson, Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., was also present when the conversation happened, Grijaldo said.

Fernandez and Abante had denied this claim, adding that they would inhibit from the Quad Comm’s discussions regarding Grijaldo’s claim before the Senate. Garma’s lawyers, who were present during the said meeting issued a joint affidavit stating that they did not witness any form of coercion or undue influence directed toward Grijaldo, and that “at no point did any of the congressmen attempt to pressure Grijaldo into conforming to a predetermined narrative”.

Grijaldo previously sent the panel letters with attached medical certificate regarding his shoulder pains and “rotator cuff syndrome”.

On Thursday, PNP General Hospital’s Orthopedic Section Chief Police Lt.Col. Leonell Garcia told the Quad Comm that upon checking, Grijaldo underwent laparoscopic shoulder surgery last December 2, but as of December 5, he was “ambulatory and capable of moving independently”, and that he is “physically able to attend the hearing”. 

Garcia noted, though, that it would be prudent to confer with Grijaldo’s physician regarding his overall health condition.