House reveals detention facilities for contempt suspects

House of Representatives (INQUIRER.net file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives recently unveiled a new set of detention facilities for contempt suspects, bringing the number of such facilities to 37 during the 19th Congress.

Facilities in the Legislative Security Bureau Building It can accommodate 16 resource officers detained by Parliament for the performance of legislative and oversight functions.

“Today, we unveil an architectural icon that transcends its physical form,” House Secretary Reginald S. Velasco said at the facility’s August 7 dedication. “It is more than just a piece of metal with information about the building and the detention facilities it houses. It symbolizes something much deeper.”

He added: “This is a testament to the House leadership’s unwavering commitment to upholding rights and dignity, a commitment we take very seriously.”

Currently, two persons are detained at the HOR, namely, real estate agent Daisy Quiros, who was detained by the Public Accounts Committee, and Lucky South 99 company secretary Ronilyn Baterna, who was detained by the Public Order and Security Committee.

“The provision of clean and comfortable facilities, fair treatment, assurance of their safety and welfare, and constant monitoring of their health conditions by our medical teams reflects on the efficiency of our parliament’s operations and strengthens the integrity of our investigative process,” Velasco said.

“Commitments made to the people in our care build public trust in our processes and institutions. This demonstrates that the House values ​​integrity and transparency, even in challenging circumstances,” he added.

The House of Representatives said in a statement on Saturday that the 37 contempt charges were issued by the Public Accounts Committee, Public Order and Security Committee, Human Rights Committee, Dangerous Drugs Committee, Franchise Committee, Agriculture Committee and other committees.