NAGDESISYON ang House Committee on Legislative Franchises na palayain ngayong araw, Disyembre 12, ang anchors ng SMNI an sina Jeffrey Celis at Lorraine Badoy-Partosa mula sa pagkakadetine dahil sa humanitarian grounds at pakikiisa sa diwa ng kapaskuhan.

Ayon kay Committee Chair Rep. Gustavo Tambunting nagkasundo ang mga miyembro ng komite para aprubahan ang release order matapos ang ipinatawag na pulong para talakayin ang apela ni Celis na makalaya para sa nalalapit na kapaskuhan.

Nilinaw naman ni Tambunting na walang kinalaman ang kanilang desisyon sa inihaing petisyon ng kaanak nina Celis at Badoy sa Korte Suprema para sa writ of habeas corpus.

“The committee decided to release Celis and Badoy purely on humanitarian grounds. Tomorrow is the last day of session and we do not want Mr. Celis and Ms. Badoy to spend their Christmas and New Year in detention,” paliwanag ni Tambunting

“The habeas corpus filed before the Supreme Court was never discussed during the meeting, and has no bearing in our decision,” dagdag niya.

Nanindigan din si Tambunting na kinikilala ng SC na may kapangyarihan ang Kongreso at mga komite nito na magsagawa ng imbestigasyon o pagsisiyasat in aid of legislation at ang kanilang power of oversight.

“Article VI, Section 21 grants the power of inquiry not only to the Senate and the House of Representatives, but also to any of their respective committees. Clearly, there is a direct conferral of power to the committees,” paliwanag niya.

Tinukoy ni Tambunting ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema sa Sabio vs. Gordon (G.R. No. 174177, 17 October 2006), kung saan nakasaad “The conferral of the legislative power of inquiry upon any committee of Congress must carry with it all powers necessary and proper for its effective discharge. Otherwise, Article VI, Section 21 will be meaningless. The indispensability and usefulness of the power of contempt in a legislative inquiry is underscored in a catena of cases, foreign and local.”

Kalakip aniya ng kapangyarihan para sa pagpapatawag ng imbestigasyon at hingan ng testimonya ang mga ipinatawag na saksi o witness ay ang kapangyarihan para ipa-contempt ang naturang mga witness.

“When, without valid reason, a person refuses to appear before an inquiry, or a witness refuses to answer a question propounded, the Congress has the power to compel such person to appear before it, to direct the witness to disclose information related to the subject of the inquiry, and to punish any person for any unjustifiable refusal in doing so,” punto nito.

Sa hiwalay na kasong Arnault v. Nazareno (G.R. No. L-3820, 18 July 1950), sinabi ni Tambunting na kinilala ng Korte Suprema na magpataw ng contempt para magampanan ng lehislatura ang kanilang constitutional function.

“By refusing to appear or to answer questions, the person obstructs the performance by Congress of its legislative function. Thus, Congress has the power to remove the obstruction by compelling the person to appear before it or the witness to answer the questions through restraint of liberty until the witness shall have answered such questions,” paliwanag ng Committee chair.

“Clearly, our order detaining Mr. Celis and Ms. Badoy-Partosa was done within the bounds of the Constitution and existing Rules of the House of Representatives,” sabi pa niya

Napagbigayan na dinggin ang mosyon na pakawalan ang dalawang anchor matapos ding pangalanan ni Celis ang pinagmulan ng kanilang fake news.

Kinilala din ng komite ang liham ni Celis sa komite kung saan inihahayag nito ang kaniyang paumanhin at apela para mapalaya mula sa detention.

“All in all, we have taken in cognizance Mr. Celis’ apology, his admission that what he mentioned was fake news, and his earnest appeal to be released to attend to his ailing mother,” aniya.

“We are ordering the release of Mr. Celis and Ms. Badoy-Partosa on humanitarian grounds and in the spirit of the Yuletide season. No more, no less,” dagdag pa ng mambabatas.