Andaya new majority leader; 3 groups unite as opposition Fariñas out; Suarez keeps minority post
The first congressman to sign the petition to install Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as Speaker is still the minority leader.
In a bizarre turn of events at the House of Representatives, lawmakers yesterday voted in plenary to keep Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez as minority leader despite his clear alliance with the chamber’s leadership.
Suarez, a vocal ally of Arroyo, was chosen over at least two other contenders for the post – Deputy Speaker Romero Quimbo of the Liberal Party (LP) and former majority leader Ilo- cos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas.
A former Arroyo Cabinet official, Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr., was elected majority leader replacing Fariñas. Andaya was budget chief under the Arroyo administration.
The leadership ruckus in the House began on the day President Duterte delivered his State of the Nation Address (SONA) when more
than 180 lawmakers signed a petition calling for the ouster of Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as speaker and installing Arroyo as his replacement.
The development saw former political foes agreeing to coalesce to form the minority group.
The seven-member Makabayan bloc and the LP of former president Benigno Aquino III decided to join forces to represent the House opposition.
The names of the left-wing lawmakers were included in the list of 22 that Quimbo wanted Arroyo to recognize as minority members. Quimbo made the request in a letter to Arroyo.
The LP faction and members of the so-called “Magnificent 7” had pushed for the removal of Suarez as minority leader.
“The duly constituted and organized minority is looking forward to working with you towards a fruitful and meaningful Third Regular Session,” Marikina Rep. Quimbo wrote Arroyo in his two-page letter, referring to the end of 17th Congress, or until June 2019.
Suarez had vowed not to relinquish his post, saying there had been “no vacancy” in the position of minority leader, as his nomination in 2016 had in fact been upheld by the Supreme Court, in effect rejecting Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat’s bid to take his position.
The militant lawmakers who joined Quimbo’s mostly LP bloc were Reps. Isagani Zarate of Bayan Muna, Antonio Tinio and France Castro of ACT Teachers, Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas of Gabriela, Ariel Casilao of Anakpawis and Sarah Jane Elago of Kabataan.
The remaining six in the so-called Magnificent 7, which is led by its titular head Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, are Reps. Baguilat, Raul Daza of northern Samar, Edgar Erice of Caloocan, Gary Alejano of party-list Magdalo and Tom Villarin of party-list Akbayan.
Meanwhile, the LP minority faction is composed of Quimbo, Francis Gerald Abaya of Cavite, Jorge Banal and Kit Belmonte both of Quezon City, Gabriel Bordado of Camarines Sur, Jocelyn Limkaichong of Negros Oriental and Josephine Ramirez-Sato of Occidental Mindoro.
The lone legislator from the Nationalist People’s Coalition of billionaire Danding Cojuangco is Pangasinan Rep. Christopher de Venecia, son of former speaker Jose de Venecia.
De Venecia had a falling out with Arroyo over the botched $329-million national broadband network deal with Chinese firm ZTE.
‘Respect decision’
Meanwhile, Malacañang yesterday urged Aquino to respect the leadership change at the House of Representatives after the former chief executive questioned Arroyo’s ascension to the speakership as well as her ability to perform her task effectively, considering the little time left before the end of the 17th Congress.
Aquino, whose administration filed corruption charges against Arroyo, his predecessor, has expressed doubts on the Speaker’s effectiveness as House members would be busy with their reelection bids.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, a former partylist representative, said the decision of the House members to elect a new Speaker should just be respected.
“I really cannot comment on that because I have ceased to become a member of the House, and that was the decision made by the House. The former president was also a former member of the House. We are both non-congressmen,” Roque said at a press briefing.
“The sitting congressmen have spoken. Let us just respect the decision of the lawmakers,” he added.
Arroyo, who is serving her last term as representative of Pampanga’s second district, was elected Speaker last July 23, replacing Alvarez.
The sudden change in leadership, which some sectors have described as a “coup,” happened hours before President Duterte was to deliver his SONA.
Roque insisted that Duterte had nothing to do with the leadership change at the House.
“No congressman can ever attest to that fact,” the presidential spokesman said, referring to allegations that Arroyo’s election as Speaker had the blessing of the President.
“I am in contact with the President, and I can assure you that he did not take any steps to influence, either way, the choice of leadership in the House.”
Duterte has expressed hopes that there would be positive changes under the leadership of Arroyo, who is an economist.