By Junex Doronio
MANILA – The House Quad Comm has cited former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Wilkins Villanueva in contempt for allegedly refusing to answer lawmakers’ questions during an inquiry into extrajudicial killings tied to former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s war on drugs.
The committee, led by Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, approved a motion stating Villanueva violated Section 11(c) of the House Rules of Procedure Governing Inquiries in Aid of Legislation.
Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano filed the motion after Villanueva repeatedly denied involvement in the warrantless arrest of Jed Pilapil Sy, the wife of suspected drug lord Allan Sy, following a 2004 raid on a shabu lab in Dumoy, Davao City.
Duterte’s former economic adviser, Michael Yang, has been implicated in the raid, which uncovered over 100 kilos of high-grade shabu worth P300 million — the largest drug bust at the time.
Villanueva, then PDEA regional director, denied Yang’s involvement, stating there was no evidence linking Yang to the drug lab. Villanueva later served as PDEA Director General during Duterte’s presidency.
“You are lying! You are not respecting this committee!” Paduano exclaimed during the hearing.
Villanueva denied the accusation, saying he did not recall arresting Sy, though he remembered her being questioned at the PDEA office after the raid.
“Hindi ko po maalala na kinausap ko siya. Nasa opisina po siya ng PDEA,” Villanueva said.
Dissatisfied with Villanueva’s response, Paduano pressed him further, eventually moving for his contempt citation.
As a penalty, Villanueva was ordered detained at the House of Representatives detention facility until the hearings conclude. However, Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop amended the motion, deferring the contempt and detention order until the Quad Comm probe resumes on January 13 next year.
The mega-panel approved the amended motion, citing the deferment as being “in the spirit of Christmas.”
Ia/mnm
