NAGPALABAS ng subpoena ang House tri-committee sa mga influencer sa social media at vlogger na hindi dumalo sa mga pagdinig nito sa kabila ng ipinalabas na show cause order (SCO).

“We have received a copy of several letters coming from resource persons that was issued the show cause order during the Feb. 4 hearing,” ani Abang Lingkod Rep. Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano.

Karamihan aniya ng mga hindi dumalong influencer ay ginamit na dahilan ang kanilang inihaing petition for certiorari sa Korte Suprema.

Isa-isang binanggit ni Paduano ang mga hindi dumalo, tulad nina Trixie Cruz-Angeles, Krizette Laureta Chu, Sass Rogando Sasot, Mark Anthony Lopez, Lorraine Marie Badoy-Partosa, Jeffrey Almendras Celiz (Eric Celiz), Dr. Richard Mata, Ethel Pineda Garcia, Joie De Vivre (Elizabeth Joi Cruz), Aaron Peña at Mary Jean Reyes.

Hindi naman itinuloy ang subpoena kay Suzanne Batalla matapos makapagsumite ng medical certificate na nagpapaliwanag sa kanyang hindi pagdalo.

Nilinaw ni Paduano na wala sa kanila ang ipina-contempt ngunit kailangan na aniyang bigatan ng Komite ang kanilang aksyon.

“Mr. Chairman, may I respectfully move that we issue a subpoena ad testificandum for all those mentioned names that has officially received a copy of such show cause order?” mosyon ni Paduano.

Agad naman itong inaprubahan ni Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, na nagsisilbing chair ng tri-comm.

“There’s a motion to issue subpoena to all those mentioned by the Honorable Paduano for not attending and answering the show cause order issued by the three committees. Duly seconded. Do I hear any objection from the members? Hearing none, the motion is carried,” ani Acop.

Ipinaliwanag naman ni Paduano na si Cruz-Angeles, na kinuwestyon ang pagiging lehitimo ng congressional inquiry, ay inisyuhan ng SCO dahil sa kanyang mga aksyon laban sa pagdinig.

“Firstly, the joint committee issued the show cause order against Attorney Angeles not because of her non-attendance… but because of the content of the communication that she submitted before this committee, which directly challenges our jurisdiction to conduct inquiry in aid of legislation,” paliwanag niya.

Paalala ni Paduano na si Angeles, bilang isang abogado, ay may obligasyon na irespeto ang Saligang Batas, partikular ang ibinigay na kapangyarihan sa Kongreso na magsagawa ng investigations in aid of legislation.

“We would like to remind Attorney Angeles that as an officer of the court and a member of the legal profession, she’s bound to respect and abide by the Constitution,” sabi niya.

Inanunsyo rin niya na kinokonsidera ng legal department ng komite ang paghahain ng disbarment case laban kay Angeles sa kaniyang paulit-ulit na paglabag sa legal ethics.

“The Joint Committee directed the Legal Department to study and consider filing possible disbarment case against Attorney Angeles because we believe that an officer of the court must conduct herself as a true advocate of law rather than being the one directly promoting its defiance,” pagbubunyag ni Paduano.

Ayon sa mga tala, dalawang beses nang sinuspinde ng Korte Suprema si Angeles—una noong 2016, nang masuspinde siya ng tatlong taon dahil sa umano’y pagpapabaya sa kaso ng isang kliyente sa kabila ng pagtanggap ng mga legal na bayarin; at muli noong 2023, nang siya ay nasuspinde ng anim na buwan dahil sa paggamit umano ng mapang-abusong pananalita sa isang legal pleading.

Binanggit din ni Paduano ang jurisprudence ng Korte Suprema na hindi dapat ihinto ang mga legislative investigation dahil lang sa may nakabinbing kaso sa korte.

“The mere filing of a criminal or administrative complaint before a court or quasi-judicial body should not automatically bar the conduct of legislative investigation,” sabi niya na tinutukoy ang Standard Chartered Bank vs. Senate case.

Tinukoy din niya ang kaso ni Arnold Nazareno vs. Nery Sinig, na nilinaw ang pagkakaiba sa legislative inquiries mula sa court proceedings.

“Legislative investigation in aid of legislation and court proceedings has different purposes,” paliwanag niya. “On the other hand, inquiries in aid of legislation are undertaken as tools to enable the legislative body to gather information and legislate wisely and effectively.”

Bilang panghuli ay nagmosyon si Paduano na maglabas ng panibagong SCO sa mga hindi pa napapadalhan.

“For those all unserved show cause orders coming from this committee last February 4 hearing, I respectfully move that those unserved show cause orders be issued again and that the SAA should coordinate with the Philippine National Police to properly serve such show cause orders,” he said.

Kinatigan naman ng tri-comm ang mosyon.