Former senator Bongbong Marcos and his mother Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos will not be held liable for telling Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos to snub a subpoena issued by the House of Representatives, a House leader said Monday.

"Rep. Imelda Marcos is not the one being investigated here... She is not a participant in this anomalous purchase," Rep. Johnny Pimentel, chair of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, told ABS-CBN News in an interview.

The Ilocos Norte governor earlier said her mother and brother advised her to snub the congressional probe on tobacco excise taxes to avoid being detained just like 6 provincial staff members who declined to answer queries during the hearing.

"The advice holds no bearing at this point in time," Pimentel said.

The governor should not fear attending the probe as lawmakers have no intention to keep her locked in the House premises provided she answers questions, Pimentel added.

Marcos, who has been threatened with arrest after she skipped the first 2 hearings of the investigation, said she is still thinking whether to attend the resumption of congressional hearing on Tuesday, July 25.

"Wala naman kaming gagawing masama sa kanya. She will not be detained as long as she answers questions," he said.

Marcos tried to seek an audience with President Rodrigo Duterte during his second state of the nation address. Marcos has yet to verify if she managed to speak to the president.

But Pimentel said he is confident that the president will not try to use his political muscle to rally legislative allies to give due consideration for Marcos.

"President Duterte has always respected the separation of powers. That's why I'm confident the president will not intervene," he said.