Quad Comm clears ex-PDEA chief Villanueva of contempt
MANILA, Philippines — The House Quad Committee withdrew the contempt order against former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Wilkins Villanueva on Tuesday, January 21.
Villanueva was cited for contempt on December 12, 2024, for allegedly evading questions and lying during a committee hearing, violating Section 11 of the House rules. He was detained at the House of Representatives on January 13, when Congress resumed its session.
The former top drug enforcer was being questioned in the committee’s probe into the illegal drug trade during President Rodrigo Duterte’s term. He faced allegations of protecting key figures linked to the trade, including Chinese nationals and businessmen Allan Lim and Michael Yang.
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Challenging the order. The Duterte-appointed PDEA chief filed a motion for reconsideration, requesting the committee to lift the contempt order.
At the Quad Committee’s 14th hearing on Tuesday, Rep. Joseph “Caraps” Paduano (Abang Lingkod Party-list) moved to lift the order, but addressed rebuttals to Villanueva’s arguments in his motion before doing so.
With no objections or proposed amendments, the committee approved the decision to lift the contempt order.
'Not applicable'
Paduano read Villanueva’s motion, where he argued that as a resource person, he had been cooperative, voluntarily answering questions and attending all hearings where his presence was requested.
Villanueva also stated that he respected the contempt order and submitted himself to detention as required.
However, the joint committee’s co-chair dismissed Villanueva’s explanation as invalid and not applicable to the contempt order issued.
“On the first basis, the question of attending hearings is not part of the motion for contempt. The motion for contempt that was issued to General Wilkins is in violation of Section 11 paragraph c, with regards to refusal or evasive [answers to] relevant questions being raised by this committee,” Paduano said.
Villanueva also referenced a 2023 court decision in the case of Linconn Ong vs. the Senate, where the Supreme Court ruled that the Senate committed “a grave abuse of discretion” by citing Ong in contempt for testifying “falsely and evasively.”
However, Paduano argued that this jurisprudence did not apply to Villanueva’s case because the Quad Committee provided him due process by allowing him to defend himself and file a motion for reconsideration.
“Former General Wilkins was present in four hearings and he was given due process and time to explain. … In fact, during the last hearing, before this representation moved to cite him in contempt, I warned him of his evasive answer to the question that was raised,” Paduano said.
Decision to lift contempt order
Despite disagreeing with Villanueva’s arguments, Paduano acknowledged that Villanueva's commitment to cooperate and answer questions truthfully warranted lifting the contempt order.
The mega panel has been investigating the country’s illegal drug trade and war on drugs in relation to Duterte’s officials and close associates, including those from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and PDEA.
The investigation aims to hold accountable the “masterminds” rather than just the subordinates arrested in drug busts.
Among the cases being looked into is the P6.4 billion worth of shabu seized from a Valenzuela warehouse in 2017, as well as a joint anti-drug raid conducted by the Philippine National Police in Davao in 2024.
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