Accordingly, handing over the documents required by Quad Committee would amount to self-incrimination. Worse, the Quad Committee continued to abusively wield the legislative power of inquiry against Atty. Roque even after another resource person named Katherine Cassandra Ong (Ong) categorically stated that Atty. Roque had no connection with the offshore gaming operations of the companies Lucky South 99 and Whirlwind. [34] Atty. Roque argues that the Quad Committee investigation violates Article VI, Section 26 of the Constitution, as it lacks a legislative purpose and violates the rights of the resource persons involved. The subpoena duces tecum issued against him violates not only his right against self-incrimination but also his right to privacy. Atty. Roque claims that the documents sought from him by the Quad Committee are all personal matters which have nothing to do with the alleged illegal activities of POGOs; and are just being elicited for the purpose of further incriminating and implicating him in such illegal activities. [35] Respondents ask Us to dismiss the petition outright for violating the hierarchy of courts, because transcendental importance is no longer enough to justify direct resort to the Supreme Court, when the case involves factual questions which must be resolved at the trial or appellate levels. Atty. Roque's petition raises questions of fact, such as the relevance to the legislative inquiry of the questions propounded to him, and the contemptibility of his acts. [36] At any rate, the petition does not raise any question of transcendental importance. It involves neither public property nor a clear disregard of a constitutional or statutory prohibition. Furthermore, Atty. Roque is not the first or only person to be subjected to a congressional inquiry. [37] On the merits, respondents argue that the August 22, 2024 hearing was not tainted with grave abuse of discretion. The questions and documents asked of Atty. Roque by the committee members are material and relevant to the matter of illegal POGO-associated activities and Atty. Roque's involvement therein. [38] While the Agenda does not mention the specific bills subject of the hearing, the legislative thrust thereof is still apparent from the specific matters mentioned in the Agenda, such as the alleged increase in enrolment of Chinese students in schools in Cagayan, the regulation of special retiree and investor visas, and the proliferation of false birth certificates, which are all connected to the illegal POGO-associated activities that were discussed in the hearing. [39] In any case, the questions asked of Atty. Roque by Rep. Luistro and the other members of the committee are pertinent to the matter of whether incumbent public officials like Atty. Roque played a role in the proliferation of illegal POGO-associated activities, which is turn relevant to several aspects of legislation such as anti-corruption, money laundering, and the regulation of gambling. [40] Atty. R