As the debates on the minority leader post unfolded at the House of Representatives on Monday, Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas pointed out that ABS Rep. Eugene De Vera should stand as the acting minority leader.
According to Fariñas, who was former majority leader, De Vera was the only one in the previous minority group who abstained in the voting for the speakership.
Believing De Vera to be the acting minority leader, Fariñas said said he, together with other allies of Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, had applied to De Vera to become members of the minority. He said De Vera accepted them.
He also stressed that the former minority leader, Quezon 3rd District Rep. Danilo Suarez, and the other minority members had, in effect, abandoned their posts the moment they voted for Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as speaker.
READ: While Alvarez was making enemies, Arroyo was consolidating her forces
Rule II Section 8 of the House rules states that: “Members who vote for the winning candidate for Speaker shall constitute the Majority in the House and they shall elect from among themselves the Majority Leader.”
“The duly-constituted minority was the group of Suarez. Unfortunately, Suarez left the minority and joined the majority [by voting Arroyo]. That is the clear status here. Let us not confuse ourselves,” Fariñas said.
He added that if Suarez would be allowed to remain as minority leader, “ it will be a mockery and a malady, Mr. Speaker.
There are three groups currently vying to be recognized as the minority group: The coalition of memers of the Liberal Party, the so-called Magnificent 7, and progressive Makabayan bloc and the groups of Suarez and Fariñas.
READ: House squabble shifts to minority leader position | House Makabayan members join Liberal Party-led minority bloc
The debate started when newly-elected Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. recognized Suarez as the minority leader during the session.
READ: Camarines Sur Rep. Andaya is new House Majority leader
Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin questioned if the 184 who voted for Arroyo constituted the majority bloc of the House – or if there was a new majority now.
According to Andaya, there are 260 majority members, 17 minority members, seven Magnificent 7 members, seven from the Makabayan opposition bloc, and one independent lawmaker – Navotas City Lone District Rep. Tobias Tiangco.
Marikina City 2nd District Romero Quimbo, leader of the LP-led minority group, insisted that they composed the true “duly-constituted” minority bloc, stressing that Suarez had lobbied for and even voted for Arroyo to become Speaker.
Quimbo also cited Rule II Section 8 of the House rules.
Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. from the Suarez camp meanwhile argued that the provision Quimbo mentioned would only apply when the House would organize for the first time and would no longer applt to subsequent elections for the speakership.
He also said Suarez remained the minority leader because the position had not been declared as vacant.
The chamber suspended the debate until Tuesday, failing to clarify who the real minority group is. /atm