AT the resumption of the House Quad Committee hearing, former Mandaluyong police chief Col. Hector Grijaldo Jr.’s excuse for being absent again was not bought by the panel leaders.

Because of this, House of Representatives official physician and the Philippine National Police (PNP) medical director were tasked to personally verify and evaluate the current condition of Grijaldo.

Grijaldo, through his lawyer, provided the quad committee with a letter stating he has rotator cuff syndrome and that he needs to be admitted in the hospital.

The quad committee leaders were not convinced.

“He wants to run. Running away from his responsibility and mentioning the name of this representation. He tainted the image of this representation, not only of this representation but the whole of Quad Comm,” committee co-chairman Rep. Dan Fernandez said.

“Clearly he wanted to evade this hearing. Ayaw niyang panindigan ‘yong mga sinabi niya doon sa affidavit niya sa Senado,” he added.

PNP Personnel and Records Management acting director Brig. Gen. Constancio Chinayog Jr. informed the panel that Grijaldo’s leave for Wednesday was canceled purportedly to give him time to attend the hearing.

PNP Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (PHAU) head Col. Rowena Acosta also said that Grijaldo only notified them about his hospital admission when he was directed to explain his absence from the Nov. 7 quad committee hearing.

“Mr. Chair, para naman pong napakahirap paniwalaan na kung rotator cuff issue lang po ito, bakit ang tagal niya po sa ospital? At sa sobrang tagal niya po sa ospital, may kakayahan po kayong pumunta sa PHAU para po personal na makapunta doon kaso lang pagdating po sa hearing ng Quad Comm, hindi po siya nakakadalo,” Deputy Speaker David Suarez remarked.

In one of the previous Senate hearings, Grijaldo executed an affidavit that members of the quad comm, particularly Fernandez and committee on human rights chairperson and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., tried to influenced him to confirm that there was indeed a reward system during the previous administration’s drug war.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Jester P. Manalastas