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House contempt order served but Silay CLO can’t be found

Silay City Legal Officer Janus Jarder could not be found when the police served a contempt order issued against him by the House Committee on Public Accounts, PCol. Rainerio de Chavez, Negros Occidental Police Director, said on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

The police served the contempt order at Jarder’s residence on Jan. 6 but he was not there, de Chavez said.

The order was received by Jarder’s child and a copy was forwarded to the Silay City government, through the City Administrator’s Office.

The order directed the police to escort Jarder to the House of Representatives, de Chavez said.

Jarder was cited for contempt twice for alleged lying and for being evasive in answering questions during a House Committee on Public Accounts hearing in December.

The hearing was conducted on the alleged irregularities in the procurement process of more than P1 billion in infrastructure and other projects by the Silay City government.

Silay Mayor Joedith Gallego said on Tuesday that he issued a written order for Jarder to comply with the contempt order and report to Congress.

However, he cannot be located and has not been to work, Gallego said.

“Jarder is missing based on the communication of Mayor Joedith because he should have been in the House on Jan. 7”, Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod Partylist), House Committee on Public Accounts chairman, said.

Paduano said Jarder was supposed to be detained for contempt immediately after a congressional inquiry hearing in December but he moved that it be moved to Jan. 6 so he could spend Christmas with his family.

The contempt order directs Jarder to report to Congress but he has not shown up, Paduano said.

The House committee cited Jarder for contempt for “lying under oath”, Paduano said.

The House Committee on Public Accounts will hold a hearing on Monday and the case of Jarder will be tackled, he added.

Jarder could not be reached for comment.*

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