Manila: The House Quad Committee (Quadcom) is set to press former Palace official Irmina Espino for answers at its upcoming hearing next week, after her Senate appearance where she denied involvement in an alleged cash reward scheme fueling the previous administration's deadly drug war. Quadcom co-chair Santa Rosa City, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez on Wednesday seriously warned that Espino could face a contempt citation and arrest if she fails to appear at the joint panel's Nov. 6 hearing. 'Most likely darating 'yan kasi alam nya may procedure [ang Quadcom]. Uuna ay invitation, tapos show cause order, and then afterwards isa-cite in contempt (Most lijkely, she will come because she knows there is a procedure. First, invitation, then show cause order, and then afterwards citing in contempt),' Fernandez said in a news release. Espino, identified by former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Royina Garma as a staffer of Senator Christopher Lawrence Go, is accused of managing cash rewards distributed to police officers for killing drug suspects. She was previously reported to have worked in Go's office at the Davao City Hall during former president Rodrigo Duterte's tenure as mayor and later continued to work at Malacañang as an Assistant Secretary when Go became Special Assistant to the President. She later served as Undersecretary until Duterte's term ended in 2022. Fernandez said the Quadcom has already issued a show cause order to Espino and five others named in Garma's testimony, which claims a reward system was central to Duterte's anti-drug campaign. The House panel directed Espino to explain why she should not be cited for contempt after she failed to attend the committee's Oct. 22 hearing, despite a prior invitation. On Monday, Espino unexpectedly appeared at the Senate inquiry into the Duterte administration's drug war and refuted claims of being a 'disbursing officer' in the financial operations tied to the drug war. She asserted that her role was limited to 'providing' office supplies, equipment, and gasoline to precinct commanders across Davao City. Garma's testimony confirmed suspicions that the Duterte administration's drug war operated on a reward system, incentivizing police to kill individuals on a so-called 'drug list.' The former PCSO chief provided a detailed view of this reward-driven operation, which fueled a deadly anti-drug campaign linked to thousands of extrajudicial killings and extensive human rights violations across the country during Duterte's term. A notable part of Garma's testimony involved a figure named 'Muking,' who allegedly managed financial aspects of the operation. It was later clarified that she was referring to Espino. Source: Philippines News Agency