Party-list solon faces ouster for ‘sexually charged’ questions

Kabalikat ng Mamamayan (Kabayan) Party-list Rep. Harry Roque is facing possible removal from office after his party-list group launched an investigation into his sexually charged line of questioning into Sen. Leila de Lima’s love affair.

This developed as Roque, the group’s first nominee, publicly traded barbs with the party’s second nominee, Rep. Ron Salo, in their respective statements.

Kabayan party-list senior member and spiritual adviser Pastor Cesar Pabuayon said his committee would recommend appropriate penalties to the group’s board regarding Roque’s conduct. His statement raised the possibility of his “removal as Kabayan party-list representative.”

Pabuayon said he and his fellow Kabayan board members were “hounded by messages from disgusted and furious Kabayan party-list members and supporters… who were mortified by Roque’s actions.”

He cited feedback that described Roque as “vulgar and sexist,” and criticized his interpellation which had nothing to do with the issue of De Lima’s alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.

“Kabayan party-list has always been active in representing the marginalized and highly vulnerable sectors in society, and Roque’s behavior is clearly a contradiction,” the statement read.

The statement cited the following questions raised by Roque: “Did you take advantage of Leila de Lima when you had a relationship? Did she seem tender to you when you started your relationship? Do you think that you took advantage of Leila de Lima’s weakness as a woman when you had a relationship? When you said that you did not take advantage of her weakness as a woman, what did you mean?”

It also took note of how Roque told De Lima’s former aide and lover Ronnie Dayan: “You seem very fond of caressing.”

For his part, Salo said in his statement that he abstained from the board’s decision to investigate Roque, whom he said he has “deep respect” for.

But he claimed that it was Roque who “relentlessly pleaded with me to become Kabayan Party-list nominee” and “despite his infamy,” he only agreed because he was a godfather at his wedding.

Roque, meanwhile, took exception to the board’s decision, saying he does not “recognize the legality of this so-called board organized by Rep. Salo for his own benefit and protection”

Salo, he claimed, is “obviously in panic mode” as possible criminal liabilities begin to creep in over his role in the controversial P3.8-billion license plate deal under the Aquino administration.

Salo was the corporate secretary of plate supplier Power Plates Development Concepts, Inc. and J. Knieriem B.V. Goes (PPI-JKG).

“If there is anyone who should be investigated by Kabayan and booted out of the party-list, it should be Rep. Salo himself who is already facing charges in court for estafa through falsification of documents,” Roque said.