MANILA — The Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 297 dismissed the petition of contractor Pacifico Discaya questioning his detention, affirming the Senate’s authority to cite resource persons in contempt.

According to a copy of the decision released by the office of Senate President Vicente Sotto III, the court found that Discaya failed to prove grave abuse of discretion by the Senate and upheld the validity of the contempt citation issued by the Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (Blue Ribbon).

Discaya was cited after discrepancies arose in his explanations regarding the absence of his wife, Sarah, during the Sept. 18, 2025 proceedings. The court noted that he had been given due process, highlighting that Senator Panfilo Lacson, chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee, explicitly allowed Discaya to explain why he should not be held in contempt.

Judge Ronald August Tan noted that the written explanation submitted by Discaya’s wife cited a scheduled employee meeting as the reason for her absence, which conflicted with Discaya’s earlier claim of a medical condition. This inconsistency, the court said, justified the contempt citation.

The RTC confirmed that the Blue Ribbon Committee acted within its constitutional and legal mandate in conducting the inquiry and exercising its power to cite resource persons in contempt when warranted.

The Senate reiterated its commitment to uphold the rule of law and respect judicial review as a safeguard for the constitutional balance among the three branches of government.