Malacanang expressed belief on Tuesday former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon could still perform his duties at the Office of Civil Defense(OCD) despite his detention.

Faeldon, who was been detained in the Senate since September 2017 for not cooperating with the investigation of the blue ribbon committee on the shipment of P6.4-billion illegal drugs from China, was transferred to Pasay City Jail on Tuesday.

"He's appointed to OCD which is a policy-making body. SO our position is he can perform his task wherever he may be, even in jail," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a press briefing in Marawi City.

Faeldon had heated exchanges with Senator Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee, during the resumption of the hearing on Monday.

Gordon has said that Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo went to his office last week and requested for Faeldon's release.

In a text message, Panelo denied asking Gordon to free Faeldon, saying the senator could have misunderstood him when he talked to him last week.

"No. What I told him is that I advised Faeldon to attend the hearing if he is subpoenaed and answer the questions of the Senate Committee so that he can be released and start with his new appointment," he said.

"He may have misunderstood me. He told me he wanted Faeldon released and he is only waiting for him to attend. I suggested that the committee subpoena him but he said Faeldon doesn't want. I told him he could try again because Faeldon told me he would if he received a subpoena and his lawyer would not object to his appearance. Then a few days he texted me and told me that Faeldon still didnt want to appear," Panelo added.

He said he visited Faeldon in his detention cell after the Senate hearing on constitutional amendments.

"I pitied Faeldon because he has been detained for so long already. Hence the visit as a show of sympathy," he said.

Faeldon has been detained in the Senate since late last year. Celerina Monte/DMS