Police Colonel Hector Grijaldo, who accused two congressmen of coercing him to confirm the alleged reward system during the Duterte administration’s drug war, has been ordered detained at Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Station 6 after being cited in contempt for the second time on Tuesday.

Grijaldo is currently detained at the House after his arrest was ordered by the House quad committee on 12 December for repeatedly defying a congressional subpoena.

He finally faced the panel on Tuesday but remained steadfast in his refusal to answer queries, particularly those concerning allegations he made in the Senate against quad comm co-chairs Dan Fernandez and Bienvenido Abante Jr.

Grijaldo repeatedly invoked his right against self-incrimination, prompting Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, the mega-panel’s senior vice chair, to cite him in contempt anew.

Panel co-chair Stephen Paduano then moved that Grijaldo be detained at QCPD Station 6, located in front of the Batasang Pambansa complex.

“I stand by my statement in the Senate under oath, Your Honor, and I invoke my right [against] self-incrimination,” Grijaldo told lawmakers.

“You invented a story and then you speak about honor?” quad comm chair Ace Barbers stressed. “You were so brave when you were in the Senate. Why don't you show the same candor, the same courage [here]?

Lawmakers took turns pressing the embattled officer to rectify his affidavit in the Senate, but Grijaldo remained unyielding.

“You made these claims, which dominated the news for weeks, and now you’re hiding behind your right against self-incrimination?” Deputy Speaker David Suarez asked.

In a Senate hearing in October last year, Grijaldo claimed under oath that he was pressured by Fernandez and Abante to corroborate the alleged monetary incentives given by former President Rodrigo Duterte to police officers in exchange for killing drug suspects.

Garma, Duterte’s alleged trusted aide, previously testified before the quad comm that these rewards ranged from P20,000 to P1 million, depending on the prominence of the target.

Grijaldo further alleged that Abante tried to sway him by implying he could receive a promotion to police general, but Grijaldo claimed he refused to be influenced.

Fernandez and Abante confirmed that they summoned Grijaldo during a hearing last year before his Senate testimony. Both, however, denied coaching him.

During the hearing, Fernandez and Abante stepped down as co-chairs and took oaths as resource persons to ensure impartiality.

In addition to potential perjury charges, Barbers previously stated that Grijaldo could also face criminal liability for his alleged role in the killing of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga in July 2020, during the height of the Duterte administration's drug war.

At the time, Grijaldo was Mandaluyong City police chief. Allegations of a cover-up emerged after the quad comm found no police records or proper investigation into Barayuga’s case.

Grijaldo was reportedly a classmate of Garma, who has been implicated as one of the masterminds behind Barayuga’s assassination.

Barayuga was shot dead while allegedly preparing to testify on corruption and illegal practices in PCSO operations, particularly regarding STL (small town lottery) during Garma’s tenure as general manager.