Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 12) — The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered three members of the Senate to answer the petition to release Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. director Linconn Ong from detention.
“Per Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, the respondents in the petition filed by Linconn Ong were required by the Court to file their comment to the main petition and prayer for TRO (temporary restraining order),” SC public information chief Brian Hosaka told reporters on Tuesday.
“The Chief Justice did not elaborate but the usual period is 10 days,” he added.
Aside from a release order, Ong – through his lawyer – asked the high court to declare as “unconstitutional” the Senate’s power to cite in contempt and detain witnesses who testify “falsely or evasively.”
The respondents in Ong’s petition are Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Richard Gordon, Senate President Tito Sotto, and Senate sergeant-at-arms Rene Samonte.
Last month, the Blue Ribbon Committee cited Ong in contempt and ordered his arrest for allegedly evading lawmakers’ questions in one of the Senate hearings on Pharmally’s procurement deal with the government for COVID-19 supplies worth billions of pesos.
CNN Philippines Correspondent Anjo Alimario contributed to this report
READ: Pharmally exec detained at home, cites bout with COVID-19
