Suarez elected as House minority leader

THE leadership row in the House Minority finally came to an end yesterday as Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez was formally elected as the new Minority Floor Leader.

During a caucus by lawmakers who declared themselves part of the House Minority, Suarez was able to secure the support of 22 lawmakers.

This developed after two days of uncertainty when the House failed to determine minority leadership right after the election of the Speaker on Monday.

Those who voted for Suarez were himself, those from his original block composed of Reps. Lito Atienza (Buhay Party-list), Luis Campos (Makati City), Monsour del Rosario (Makati City), Harry Roque (Kabayan Patylist), Delphine Lee (Agri Party-list), Orestes Salon (Agri-Party-list) and Anna Villaraza Suarez (Alona Party-list); and those who initially chose to abstain during the election for Speakership including Harlin Neil Abayon (Northern Samar), Arlene Arcillas (Laguna), Joseph Bernos (Abra), Oscar Garbin (Ako Bicol Party-list), Abi- gail Ferriol-Pascual (Kalinga Party-list), Eugene de Vera (ABS Party-list), Julieta Cortuna (A-Teacher Party-list), Arnel Cerafica (Taguig City), Anthony Bravo (Coop-Natco Party-list), Aniceto Bertiz (Acts-OFW Party-list), and Amanda Bagatsing (Manila).

Reps. Rodel Batocabe (Ako Bicol Party-list), Ma. Lourdes Aggabao (Isabela), and James Garin (AAMBISOWA Party-list) abstained during the voting.

Suarez and Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr. were the two members of the minority who vied for the Speakership later won by Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.

During the election, Baguilat placed second after gathering eight votes while Suarez was only able to secure the support of seven lawmakers.

At least 21 of their colleagues chose to abstain.

Based on House rules, those who abstained can choose later whether to join the majority or be part of the minority bloc.

By virtue of House tradition, the runner-up in the Speakership race should au- tomatically be the Minority Floor Leader.

But prior to the start of the election, Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza — an ally of Suarez — made a parliamentary inquiry on whether the candidate with the second highest number of votes should be the leader of minority just like what happened during the previous 16th Congress.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, then-acting majority floor leader, answered that based on existing House rules, those who didn’t vote for the winning candidate will automatically be part of the minority, and will later select their leader.

Fariñas explained that those who are entitled to vote for the minority leadership are solons who voted for the losing speaker contenders.

But if that concept will be followed, Baguilat argued that Suarez should not be allowed to take part since he voted for House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and therefore should be part of the majority.