House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN

Never, ever make public the details of an executive session with House members if you were part of it. 

Former Mexico town, Pampanga mayor Teddy Tumang learned this the hard way, after he was ordered detained Wednesday, Nov. 15 for 30 days by the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs for committing the offense. 

“We are citing former Mayor Tumang for contempt for violating Section 7 of our rules governing inquiries in aid of legislation, subject to motions for reconsideration,” Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, committee chairman, declared during Wednesday's hearing. 

Antipolo City 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop--a retired police general who is known for his short fuse with erring resource persons during comittee hearings--was the one who moved to cite Tumang for contempt. 

Tumang profusely apologized to the panel and claimed that he didn't know the rules of an executive executive session. "Kung may pagkakamali po sa nagawa ko humihingi po ako ng malaking sorry (If I did something wrong, I am asking for huge forgiveness)." 

To this, Acop said "The ignorance of the law excuses no one." Tumang said he was aware of it. 

Shortly after, the Antipolo congressman suggested the rather lengthy penalty of a 30-day detention within the House against Tumang. 

"Considering the sanctity of the executive session, I second [Acop's] motion," said Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville Luistro. Essentially, an executive session is a closed-door meeting between lawmakers and their chosen resource persons. 

Members of the Legislative Security Bureau (LSB) escorted the ex-local chief executive following the suspension of the hearing, which discussed the discovery of 536 kilos of “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) worth P3.6 billion inside a local warehouse last Sept. 24. 

"The House has provided a comfortable detention center for all those cited in contempt...Air-conditioned naman (the room is air-conditioned)," Barbers jokingly said minutes before Tumang was cited for contempt. 

It was yet another black eye for Tumang, who was recently dismissed as mayor by the Office of the Ombudsman over alleged irregularities in the procurement of construction materials from 2009 to 2010. 

During the hearing, Barbers took Tumang to task for spilling details of a closed-door session of his panel in a press conference the latter held on Oct. 11. The executive session took place two days earlier. 

CLICK HERE: 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/10/13/ex-pampanga-mayor-could-be-in-trouble-for-spilling-details-of-closed-door-meeting-says-barbers

In the Oct. 11 presser, 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 had earlier denied making the statements attributed to him by Tumang, according to Barbers.