HABEAS CORPUS PLEA. Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. (center) accompanies clients Rogilda Celiz (left) and Walter Partosa, spouses of Jeffrey Celiz and Lorraine Badoy, respectively, in filing a petition for habeas corpus before the Supreme Court in Manila on Monday (Dec. 11, 2023). They are questioning the detention of Celiz and Badoy at the House of Representatives in Batasan, Quezon City after they were cited in contempt during a legislative inquiry on Dec. 5. (PNA photo by Ben Pulta)
MANILA – The spouses of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) broadcasters Lorraine Badoy and Jeffrey Celiz on Monday filed before the Supreme Court a petition questioning their detention at the House of Representatives after being cited in contempt on Dec. 5.
Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. accompanied Rogilda Celiz and Walter Partosa, spouses of SMNI broadcasters Celiz and Badoy, respectively, in applying for a writ of habeas corpus.
A habeas corpus writ is a court issuance asking an officer to present a detainee before the issuing court and prove the validity of their detention.
Roque said the suit asked to court to rule on whether the two broadcasters were covered by the Sotto Law, which protects journalists’ sources. Named respondent was the House of Committee on Legislative Franchises.
“This is very clearly a grave and blatant abuse of the respondent committee’s discretion, which the Honorable Supreme Court has the power and the duty to strike down. The Committee should not be allowed to arbitrarily and capriciously toy with the liberty of the petitioners,” the petitioners said in their suit.
The two were cited in contempt for their supposed refusal to answer any relevant inquiry and “acting in a disrespectful manner” during a legislative inquiry on fake news and communist red-tagging.
Badoy and Celiz, who have gone on a timed hunger strike, said their detention was “a direct offshoot of the infiltration of the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front) inside Congress and to also hold those in power accountable to the Filipino people.”
The hearing looked into possible franchise violations by SMNI.
Lawmakers ordered Celiz’ detention after he refused to disclose the identity of his source on Speaker Martin Romualdez’s supposed PHP1.8 billion travel expenses, aired in the show “Laban Kasama Ang Bayan."
Roque claimed Celiz was not stating a fact at the time but was asking a question for clarification.
Badoy, a former official of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, was cited in contempt for “acting in a disrespectful manner” and her “conflicting statements” during the inquiry.
Congress will adjourn for the holidays from Dec. 16 to Jan. 21. (PNA)
