Andaya ignores ouster plot rumor, twits political rival in Camarines Sur

MANILA, Philippines — House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. on Monday belittled the rumored ouster plot brewing against him, as he mocked fellow Camarines Sur congressman and political rival, Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte.

“Hindi ko na pinapatulan ‘yan… Saka ano ‘yan, saling-pusa,” Andaya, congressman of the 1st District of Camarines Sur, said in a press briefing, referring to Villafuerte, representative of the province’s 2nd District.

(I would just ignore that… Besides, he has no business with regards to the issue.)

The camp of Villafuerte has been reportedly urging fellow lawmakers to oust Andaya over the latter’s exposés on the 2019 national budget that has supposedly derailed the passage of this year’s expenditure program.

Minority Leader and Quezon 3rd District Rep. Danilo Suarez came to Andaya’s defense, saying the reported ouster plan was “uncalled for.”

“‘Yung away sa bahay ‘wag ninyo dalhin sa trabaho. Ginagawa naman ni congressman Andaya ang trabaho n’ya na check and balance, oversight function, pagre-review ng budget. Tapos sasabihin mo ‘yun, totally uncalled for,” Suarez said in the same press conference.

(Don’t bring your local feud to your work. Andaya has been doing his job of ensuring checks and balances, oversight function, reviewing the budget. And then you’ll say that. That’s totally uncalled for.)

In a previous statement, Andaya said he is willing to be relieved as Majority Leader.

“To me this post is forced labor. Gusto ko na nga ma-relieve ng duties as Majority Leader noon pa (Even in the past, I already want to be relieved of my duties as Majority Leader),” he said.

Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, meanwhile, reiterated her support for Andaya.

READ: Arroyo maintains support for Andaya amid rumored ouster plot

In a response sent to INQUIRER.net, Villafuerte accused Andaya of pursuing a “bootleg” investigation in the chamber as part of an apparent “pre-election agenda to lay siege to the stalled 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and destabilize the Duterte administration.”

Rather than resort to “innuendoes,” Villafuerte said, Andaya and his “sidekick” Suarez should explain why they deflect public attention from the real issue, which he claimed as the “undue delay in the congressional approval of the 2019 GAA owing to the majority leader’s unilateral budget realignments, particularly the P1.9 billion in ‘pork,’ which — as discovered by Sen. Panfilo Lacson — ended up in Andaya’s legislative district.” /kga /atm