Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez (left), Cassandra Ong (PPAB)

House quad-committee (quad-comm) co-chairman Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez is facing an ethics complaint for allegedly blocking Cassandra Ong from getting legal advice during a hearing last year of the mega panel.

Slapping Fernandez with allegations of misconduct on Monday, Jan. 27 was Ong's legal counsel, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio.

Ong, a 24-year-old with alleged links to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), was among the main resource persons during the Aug. 28, 2024 hearing of the vaunted quad-comm chaired by Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.

Topacio urged the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges to expel Fernandez from the 300-plus strong legislative chamber. 

The lawyer gave very specific details in his ethics rap against the veteran congressman.

“Nearing the 9th hour of the third quad-comm hearing, as I was advising Cassandra on her legal rights, respondent (Fernandez) and his fellow chairmen kept on hindering and preventing me from advising Cassandra,” he wrote.

According to Topacio, his client Ong asked for a 10-minute suspension in the middle of the hearing for the purpose of getting advice from him, but Fernandez "vehemently objected to Rep. Barbers’ suspension and reasoned out that they have been waiting for so long already". 

“Rep. Barbers acknowledged that Cassandra, as the resource person, has the right to counsel. It is only right to allow her to consult her lawyer in order to protect her legal rights. However, respondent vehemently objected thereto,” he narrated. 

Topacio further said he was warned that he "would be cited in contempt and removed from the room if I kept on talking with Cassandra".

Later in the hearing, Fernandez told Topacio to stop whispering to Ong while she was being interpellated by solons. Topacio said this utterance from the Laguna solon "can be interpreted as I should stop advising my client".

“The respondent told the quad-comm that Cassandra refuses to speak because the problem is with those around her, thereby implying that the legal counsel is the problem,” the lawyer said.

Topacio claimed that Ong "became cooperative in the proceedings upon my advice".

"However, it must be noted that I also advised her of her right to refuse to answer to exercise her right against self-incrimination. This right must be expected, even by the lawmakers themselves,” he said.

Topacio also said that Fernandez moved to disregard his letter wherein he reiterated the rights of his lawyer during the fifth committee hearing.

“It is evident that with these narrations of facts, respondent conducted himself unprofessionally during the third and fifth quad-comm hearing,” he added.

Fernandez has yet to comment on the impeachment complaint.