The House Makabayan bloc said has opposed Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s stand on resolutions in aid of legislation being filed by chamber members.
In a lunch meeting on Monday, Arroyo expressed her opposition to such resolutions, saying that no actual legislation is produced.
ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said this as a way of disarming the lower House of its power and responsibility to conduct investigations.
“Nadidismaya po tayo sa desisyong ito ni Speaker Arroyo, tumututol tayo, hindi tayo sumasang-ayon dahil parang nilumpo mismo ng leadership ng House ang sarili nya, partikular ang kapangyarihan at tungkulin ng Kongreso na magbantay o magsilbing check and balance, magsilbing oversight sa executive branch,” Tinio said in a press briefing.
(We oppose Speaker Arroyo’s decision. We do not agree with this because this will curtail the power of Congress to check on, or serve as an oversight of, the executive branch.)
The opposition lawmaker also lamented how their bloc had filed numerous resolutions calling for probes into human rights issues and welfare of various sectors, but they are still pending before the committee on rules.
“Marami kaming pina-file na mga resolutions calling for investigation sa mga issue tulad ng human rights violations, rights and welfare ng mga sektor,” Tinio said. “Sangkatutak na ang resolutions na natutulog lang sa rules.”
Tinio stressed that this is not just a “matter of name change” but an effort the prevent investigations.
“Si DV Savellano came to me, he mentioned something and I said, ‘DV, you know inquiries in aid of legislation I don’t like them to be done unless you give me a rough draft of the legislation you are thinking of, otherwise let’s call it oversight,’” Arroyo said.
She was referring to Ilocos Sur 1st District Rep. Deogracias Victor Savellano.
“So I told him that I don’t like resolutions in aid of legislation because there is no legislation that happens, only harassment happens,” she added. /ee