THE SIX Ilocos Norte employees who were detained at the House of Representatives for almost two months and the province’s head, Governor Maria Josefa Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos, are pursuing the case they filed before the Supreme Court against two congressmen and the House sergeant-at-arms.

Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum yesterday, Ms. Marcos said that she was “enjoined” by her lawyers to pursue the case.

Ms. Marcos noted that only the petition for the writ of habeas corpus of the “Ilocos 6” is the only prayer that was rendered moot by their release on Tuesday.

Asked if the petition for the writ of amparo stays, Ms. Marcos answered ‘yes,’ noting that the threat remains as she cited that during Tuesday’s hearing at the House, she was nearly cited in contempt, which could have also placed her in detention.

She said, in jest, that she was ready to be detained. “May maleta ako kahapon (I had a luggage with me).”

Ms. Marcos and the Ilocos 6 sought for a the issuance of a writ of amparo — which seeks to protect life, liberty and security of individuals from harassment and threats by the state — citing that there is a need to “protect the actual and threatened violations and infringement of their constitutionally guaranteed rights to liberty and security of person.”

Last Tuesday, Ms. Marcos made her first appearance before the House committee on good government and public accountability, which is conducting a probe into the provincial government’s alleged anomalous purchase of motor vehicles worth P66.45 million using tobacco excise taxes.

Ms. Marcos was with former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile when she walked into the hearing room, drawing a buzz from those present.

Mr. Enrile was among the top officials who withdrew support to the governor’s father, the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr., which led to the end of the latter’s martial rule and the Marcos family’s exile.

Ms. Marcos said: “Past is past,” adding that Mr. Enrile “has spent more time with us, than against us.”

On the same day, the House committee ordered the release of the Ilocos 6, just minutes before the SC announced its order for the respondents from the to comment on the case.

Impleaded as respondents are House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Rodolfo C. Fariñas, House Committee Chair and Surigao del Sur 2nd District Representative Johnny T. Pimentel, and House sergeant-at-arms Roland Detabal.

They were given 10 days from the receipt of the resolution to file their comments.

Ms. Marcos and the six provincial employees elevated the case to the high court after the House of Representatives remained defiant of the writ of habeas corpus issued by the Court of Appeals (CA). 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. — Kristine Joy V. Patag

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