House shake-up: Ungab no longer chair of appropriations panel

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab was removed from his post as chairperson of the powerful House of Representatives committee on appropriations on Monday.

During a session, the House majority moved to replace Ungab with ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap.

Prior to this, Yap was chairman of the House committee on games and amusement. But this reshuffle would now relegate him as vice-chair of the panel as Abra Rep. Joseph Sto. Niño Bernos takes the panel chairmanship.

Further, the House majority moved to designate Kabayan Rep. Ron Salo as a member of the House of Representatives’ electoral tribunal in place of Oriental Mindoro 1st District Rep. Doy Leachon.

The reorganization at the House came few days after rumors of an alleged plot to oust Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano as House top leader surfaced.

Earlier Monday, there were talks of a possible move to declare all House leadership and committee chairmanships vacant and then hold an election.

READ: Atienza says Cayetano to declare House posts vacant, call for polls

But Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza said this was just a drama of Cayetano to divide the House and eventually junk the term-sharing agreement between him and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco.

Cayetano has accused Velasco’s camp was behind an attempt to unseat him as Speaker but Velasco and PDP-Laban have denied the accusations.

READ: Velasco denies hatching plot to oust Cayetano 

READ: PDP-Laban denies alleged ‘coup’ vs Cayetano 

KGA