MANILA – The House Quad Committee once again cited in contempt the police officer who was previously ordered detained for repeatedly skipping its hearings.

During the panel's 14th hearing on Tuesday, Police Colonel Hector Grijaldo refused to answer questions of lawmakers on his Senate testimony, repeatedly citing his right against self-incrimination.

Grijaldo confirmed the affidavit shown to him but did not answer the questions of Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop.

Acop made the motion after Grijaldo once again invoked his right against self-incrimination during his interpellation.

"May I move we cite Colonel Grijaldo in contempt for violation of Section 11 Paragraph C refusal to answer relevant questions," he said.

Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano then moved to transfer Grijaldo from the House detention facility to Quezon City Police District Station 6, in front of the Batasang Pambansa complex.

"For this contempt, may I move that we detain Colonel Grijaldo para malapit lapit lang sa Batasan at Station 6," he said.

Grijaldo accused Quad Comm co-chairperson Rep. Dan Fernandez of coercing him to confirm the supplemental affidavit of former police officer Royina Garma on the supposed drug war reward system.

Garma alleged that P20,000 to P1 million were given as reward for killing drug suspects during the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

Co-chairperson Rep. Bienvenido Abante was allegedly present during the said conversation. Both lawmakers have denied the allegations.

Garma’s lawyers, who were present during the meeting issued a joint affidavit on Grijaldo's claim, stating that they did not witness any form of coercion.

Before Grijaldo was cited in contempt, Acop asked Fernandez about the police officer's statement that he was "being summoned" by the Santa Rosa, Laguna congressman.

Fernandez and Abante inhibited during the discussion and took their oath as resource persons.

Fernandez replied in the affirmative when asked if he agreed to the statement.

"Kung matatandaan ninyo po, yung supplemental affidavit ni Colonel Garma was given to us on the same day. Nung binabasa natin, sabi natin sino mag-cocorroborate nito. And then lumapit yung dalawang lawyer," he shared. 

"Sinabi ko sa kanya, Colonel Grijaldo, ito ang mga nakasulat sa affidavit… Ito ba mapapatotohanan mo ba na sinabi ni Colonel Garma? Sabi niya hindi po, wala po akong alam diyan. Eh yung ibang sinabi ni Colonel Garma kasi sinabi niya na kaibigan mo siya," he added.

Acop asked if the lawyers of Garma were really present during the conversation.

"Yes your honor there were two lawyers present…. It was a small room so malapit kami sa isa't-isa…. It was Colonel Garma that said he knows a lot. So I said sige, normal naman yung vetting," Abante said.

"Masaya pa nga ako eh na nabanggit ni Colonel Garma na ito, close siya dito. Classmate niya at talagang kakampihan siya nito. Eh nagulat nalang kami ganun ang sagot niya," he explained. 

In a CCTV footage presented during the hearing, Grijaldo was seen leaving the room with a smile on his face, as claimed by Fernandez.

"Umabot po [yung usapan] ng less than 10 or 15 minutes. Nung sinabi niya wala siyang alam, lumabas na kami. The CCTV can prove it," Fernandez said.

"Kung nagkaroon ng coercion, nagkaroon ng harrassment, nagkaroon ng forceful, force galing sa amin… I think malalaman ng taong andiyan [sa labas]. Even in the CCTV makikita natin na hindi naman siya coerced eh," he added. 

Fernandez said he was "hurt" when his expectations fell short after Grijaldo said he does not know anything about Garma's affidavit.

"Sa totoo lang kung siya nasaktan, ako naman na-offend. Nasa mukha ba namin na mag-cocoerce? Nasa mukha niya. Nasa mukha ba ni congressman Fernandez na mag-coerce, ako nasa mukha ko ba," Abante then said. 

Human rights lawyer Atty. Kristina Conti said Grijaldo's actions as seen in the CCTV footage are not consistent with someone restrained.

"It would not be consistent with human experiene to see someone coerced leave a room without any restraints at, sabihin na pinilit siya sa loob ng kwarto," she said. 

"This kind of evidence would prove…. that the last person to leave the room was Colonel Grijaldo without anyone keeping him in detention... His freedom to leave the room without any pressure, it would say that Colonel Grijaldo was not under arrest. To an extent as a human being he was not under duress," Conti added.

The Quad Committee also approved Paduano's amendment to his earlier motion to have Grijaldo detained at QCPD Station 6 in Batasan "until the committee report in this investigation will be adopted at the plenary."

Paduano said Grijaldo may file a motion for reconsideration to ask the mega panel to lift the recent contempt order.