Ridon’s appointment completes House quad comm panels’ leadership

MANILA, Philippines — The election of Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon as committee on public accounts chairperson signals the completion of the quad committee leadership, as the House of Representatives of the 20th Congress seeks to continue unfinished business.

During the plenary session on Wednesday, Ridon, a member of the Minority, was elected by Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan to head the said panel.

The committee on public accounts is one of two panels traditionally held by the Minority, the other being the committee on ethics and privileges.

“Ridon, a lawyer from the University of the Philippines (UP) who studied public policy and business in Harvard University, fills the final leadership post in the joint panel,” a statement from the Office of the Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said.

“The reactivation of the Quad Comm signals the 20th Congress’ renewed commitment — under the leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez—to uncover unresolved cases of state-enabled violence, corruption and criminal impunity, many of which were first exposed during the 19th Congress and reignited by the recent disappearance of cockfighting enthusiasts or sabungeros,” it added.

The committee on public accounts was one of the four panels in the quad committee, which was instrumental in uncovering issues involving the illegal activities in Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) hubs, the illicit drug trade,  human rights violation in the past administration’s drug war, and allegations of reward money being given to cops who kill drug suspects.

The three other panels are the committee on dangerous drugs, committee on public order and safety, and the committee on human rights.

On Tuesday, it was announced that for the 20th Congress, Bukidnon 2nd District Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores would head the committee on dangerous drugs; Manila 2nd District Rep. Rolando Valeriano for the committee on public order and safety; and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. for the committee on human rights.

Earlier, Valeriano said he hopes he can match the performance of the former quad committee chairpersons.

Only Abante, who headed the same committee during the 19th Congress, will be returning to chair the quad committee.

READ: Quad comm in 20th Congress? Definitely, says Abante  

Aside from Fernandez who headed the committee on public order and safety, former Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers who chaired the dangerous drugs panel and former Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano of the committee on public accounts were term limited and thus were not able to seek reelection. /gsg