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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ex-Pampanga mayor could be in trouble for spilling details of closed-door meeting, says Barbers

Ex-Pampanga mayor could be in trouble for spilling details of closed-door meeting, says Barbers

Published Oct 13, 2023 07:17 am

At A Glance

  • Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers says former Mexico, Pampanga mayor Teddy Tumang could be cited for contempt by the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs for supposedly leaking details taken up during an executive session of the panel. 

'Talo ang customer!' Barbers frowns over cost cap of some Grab Food merchantsSurigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Facebook)

 

 

 

 

Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers says former Mexico, Pampanga mayor Teddy Tumang could be cited for contempt by the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs for supposedly leaking details taken up during an executive session of the panel. 

An executive session is essentially a closed-door meeting. While House committees hold public hearings, media members are asked to vacate the room whenever the hearing gets turned into an executive session. 

The Barbers-chaired dangerous drugs panel went into a closed-door session last Oct. 9 to give the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the National Bureau of Information (NBI) a free hand in briefing the committee on the entry into the country and subsequent confiscation of the large shabu shipment in Barangay San Jose Malino. 

“Executive session yun at ang napag-usapan ay tungkol sa nasabing droga na nasabat at ang mga sirkumstansiya sa pagkaka-diskubre ng 560 kilos [of shabu] at operational details na confidential in nature. Wala pong pinag-usapan tungkol sa politika,” Barbers said. 

(It was an executive session and we discussed about the drug haul and the circumstances behind the discovery of 560 kilos of shabu and operational details that were confidential in nature. Nothing about politics was discussed.) 

Tumang attended the public part of the hearing along with other former and incumbent Mexico town officials. 

It came to the committee's attention that the former mayor had revealed information that was supposedly tackled during the closed-door session. 

During a press conference held on Wednesday, Oct. 11, Tumang reportedly said that House Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr. had asked National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) members whether or not he was involved with the illegal drug issue in the province. 

"Parang ini-implicate niya ako...Meron tayong nakausap doon, yun nga ang tanong ni congressman. Dalawang beses pa niya tinanong. 'Hindi ba involved si Mayor Tumang dyan?'” Tumang was quoted as saying. 

(It's like he was implicating me...I talked to someone there, and that's what the congressman asked. He asked twice. "Isn't Mayor Tumang involved there?") 

Gonzales denied making the statements attributed to him by Tumang, according to Barbers. 

 

This notwithstanding, Barbers said that he would again invite Tumang to his panel’s next hearing on the recent confiscation of over 500 kilos of shabu worth P3.6 billion from a warehouse in Barangay San Jose Malino in Mexico. 

He said he would ask Tumang to tell the committee from whom he received the information that was tackled during the executive session. 

House rules governing inquiries in aid of legislation prohibit the disclosure of information discussed in an executive session, he said. 

The committee has subpoenaed businessman Willy Ong, owner of the warehouse in San Jose Malino where the P3.6 billion worth of shabu was seized; and Roy Gomez, a town hall aide of Tumang when he was mayor. 

Aside from working at the municipal hall, Gomez, according to the former mayor, facilitated documents like permits for Ong. 

The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed Tumang in connection with a graft case.

 

Related Tags

Robert Ace Barbers Mexico Teddy Tumang
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