‘Legit minority’ to fight Suarez over Minority post

Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo reiterated that the Liberal Party (LP) was the true minority in the House of Representatives following their abstention in the proceedings to elect Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as Speaker.

Quimbo said the LP won’t let Rep. Danilo Suarez remain as Minority Leader especially since the lawmaker from Quezon voted for Arroyo.

“Hindi po tayo willing na ibigay ‘yan kay Congressman Danilo Suarez bilang Minority Floorleader,” Quimbo said on Monday in an interview over dwIZ.

“Hindi ako nagnanais kundi ang buong legit minority ang gustong (ako ang nasa posisyon). Nais nating manaig kung ano ang tama at kung ano ang hindi nakakahiya,” he added.

House rules state that those who did not vote for the winning candidate for Speaker automatically become part of the minority.

Suarez, however, insists that he should stay as leader of the minority bloc until the end of the 17th Congress.

Quimbo added that he hoped lawmakers would iron out the ongoing minority squabble as soon as possible, citing the importance of the bloc in the check and balances in the lower chamber.

“Ang papel ng minority floor leader ay hindi porke’t sinabi ng majority ay kailangan na nating lunukin, kailangan may fiscalizer… napakahirap magpatuloy ng Kongreso kung walang tinatawag na minority,” he said. /cbb