By Kristine Joy V. Patag, Reporter

ILOCOS NORTE Governor Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos has elevated the case for the release of the six provincial government employees currently detained at the House of Representatives to the Supreme Court (SC).

On Thursday, the camp of Ms. Marcos filed a 67-paged omnibus petition before the high court asking the SC to assume jurisdiction on habeas corpus case pending before the Court of Appeals (CA) of the so-called “Ilocos 6,” composed of treasurer Josephine P. Calajate, accountant Edna C. Batulayan, budget officer Evangeline C. Tabulog, bids and awards committee head Pedro S. Agcaoili, and Genedine D. Jambaro and Encarnacion A. Gaor of the provincial treasurer’s office.

The six were ordered detained on May 29 by the House committee on good government and public accountability during its probe on the alleged misuse of P66.45 million of Ilocos Norte’s tobacco funds to buy motor vehicles.

The petition also prays for the issuance of a writ of amparo against the House, particularly the committee on good government and public accountability, and its chairman, Ilocos Norte Representative Rodolfo C. Fariñas, Sr., a former governor of the province.

Ms. Marcos told the press yesterday that the whole controversy stemmed from “local politics.”

A writ of amparo seeks to protect life, liberty and security of individuals from harassment and threats by the state.

The petitioners said that the writ of amparo will “protect the actual and threatened violations and infringement of their constitutionally guaranteed rights to liberty and security of person.”

Ms. Marcos also sought for a temporary restraining order against the House proceedings on the tobacco fund case.

The six detainees, through Ms. Marcos, earlier asked the Court of Appeals (CA) for an issuance of a writ of habeas corpus for their release. This was granted by the CA and a show cause order was also issued against House sergeant-at-arms Roland M. Detabali, but the House refused to heed the order.

Instead, the House committee asserted that the CA has no jurisdiction over the case and in return, issued a show cause order against the three justices of the CA Special Fourth Division.

House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez and the judiciary — including Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes P.A. Sereno and CA Presiding Justice Andres B. Reyes — have been in loggerheads over the case.

‘HOSTAGE CRISIS’
Ms. Marcos, in a press conference, branded the continued detention of the “Ilocos 6” as a “hostage crisis.”

“Incarcerating my poor old defenseless employees in order to testify against me and against the province is not only illegal, cruel, and evil, it is also cowardly,” Ms. Marcos said.

Taking a leaf from the popular television series, Game of Thrones, Ms. Marcos said: “If this is truly the Game of Thrones, please be warned today: The North Remembers, and it will never forget.”

The tag line “The North Remembers” is used by the series’ fictional House Stark, known for their nobility and humility, from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, which was adapted by international channel HBO.

The remark of Ms. Marcos, daughter of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, drew a buzz on social media.

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