The arrest warrant and the Lower Chamber’s contempt order against Ronnie Dayan, former driver-bodyguard of Senator Leila de Lima “stays,” the chairman of the House Committee on Justice said.
Before the executive session of the panel on its draft report on the proliferation of drugs inside the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) Monday morning, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali said Dayan, who reportedly went into hiding before the House probe, remains “answerable” not only to his panel, but to House of the Representatives as well.
“The arrest warrant stays and the contempt order stays against Dayan,” he said during the House panel hearing yesterday after Kabayan partylist Rep. Ron Salo inquired about the subpoena issued against Dayan.
“The subpoena was issued and approved by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez because the contempt is against the House as institution. It was a contempt of the House of Representatives and not just the Committee on Justice,” added Umali.
He maintained his panel’s readiness to open the House probe should Dayan agree to testify and appear before the committee.
During the Oct. 10 hearing, the Umali panel cited Dayan in contempt and ordered his arrest.
The Umali panel is still in an executive session to tackle the “rough draft” of their committee report.
Umali said they are not yet ready to share the report to the public because it is not yet the final draft.
He said they are targeting to approve the panel report today and endorse it for plenary approval before Congress goes on Halloween recess on Oct. 19. (Charissa M. Luci)