At A Glance
- The House of Representatives took custody of Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 24, a week after the official was cited for contempt and ordered detained by an investigating committee.

House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
The House of Representatives took custody of Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 24, a week after the official was cited for contempt and ordered detained by an investigating committee.
Mamba voluntarily surrendered to the House of Representatives in Batasan Complex, Quezon City, Speaker Martin Romualdez confirmed in a statement Thursday afternoon, Aug. 24.
Romualdez, leader of the 311-member chamber, assured the governor that his rights would be protected during his time in custody at Batasan.
“Governor Mamba's choice to voluntarily surrender is a commendable stride in safeguarding the integrity of our democratic institutions," Romualdez said.
"It signifies his readiness to collaborate with the House's proceedings and underscores a steadfast commitment to the fundamental principles of accountability and transparency that form the cornerstone of our democracy,” he noted.
According to the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) president, "every measure will be taken to ensure Mamba’s well-being and his legal rights will be safeguarded while he is in House custody".
In a joint hearing last Aug. 17, the members of the House Committees on Public Accounts and on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms cited Mamba for contempt on the following grounds: (1) refusal without legal excuse to obey summons, and (2) undue interference in the conduct of proceedings of the rules of the House.
This, after Mamba failed to attend the congressional inquiry repeatedly and refused to issue travel authorities to the officials of Cagayan provincial government to attend the hearings. He was ordered detained by the House.
The inquiry centered on the alleged illegal expenditures of the provincial government during the 2022 campaign period.
Aside from Mamba, Cagayan Provincial Information Officer Rogelio Sending was also cited for contempt. Unlike Mamba, Sending was present at the hearing.
The two panels were holding a joint hearing on the issue as of this posting.