Ex-mayor detained for contempt by quad comm

MANILA, Philippines —  The quad committee of the House of Representatives ordered the detention of former Mexico, Pampanga mayor Teddy Tumang for “lying and evading questions from committee members” during its 12th hearing yesterday.

On a motion by Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Stephen Paduano, the quad comm imposed the contempt order on Tumang after he gave confusing answers to questions of Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro.

Luistro concluded that Tumang may have been helping Chinese nationals, who were incorporators of Empire 999, in illegally acquiring properties in Mexico, Pampanga during the former mayor’s term.

The lawmaker was trying to establish Tumang’s closeness with Chinese nationals and Empire 999 incorporators Aedy Ty Yang and Willy Ong, who owned the Mexico warehouse where Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and National Bureau of Investigation agents seized 560 kilos of shabu worth P3 billion in September 2023.

Luistro asked Tumang if he “personally know Aedy Ty Yang and Willy Ong,” but the former Mexico mayor immediately said, “No, Your Honor.”

In her follow-up question, Luistro asked Tumang if he ever met Yang and Ong, to which he admitted the two Chinese nationals once went to his office expressing interest to buy properties in Mexico.

It was at this point that Paduano butted in and told Tumang, “You are lying.”

“I have evidence that you personally know Aedy Ty Yang and Willy Ong. In fact, you traveled together to Fujian in China. I have photos showing you, Yang and Ong together,” Paduano told Tumang.

Tumang then admitted to Paduano that he went to China with Yang, Ong and other officials of Mexico, Pampanga.

“So you are lying, you are evasive. I am sorry to say this, your style is rotten. In my committee (public accounts) and the committee on dangerous drugs, we have known you already,” Paduano said.

Apparently feeling the pressure of being grilled by lawmakers, Tumang asked the committee to excuse him while Paduano was manifesting his motion to hold the former mayor in contempt.

Luistro resumed questioning Tumang on his ties with Yang, but he asked to be excused, saying he was feeling ill.

The PDEA revealed to the quad comm yesterday the