I am still Kabayan congressman – Harry Roque

Kabayan Rep. Harry Roque on Wednesday said he remains a duly-elected partylist representative in the 17th Congress.

In a privilege speech delivered during plenary session Wednesday night, the beleaguered congressman called the Kabayan Board of Trustees that ousted him “usurpers” and castigated them for spreading to the media that he was ousted from the party-list and thus was no longer a legitimate congressman.

READ: Harry Roque still a congressman–House leader

His supposed ouster was the latest in the infighting between Roque and his fellow Kabayan representative Ron Salo.

Roque said he remains duly recognized as a member of the 17th Congress despite the smear campaign against him by his own party-list.

“By doing so, I am able to prove that contrary to the claim of my detractors, I am and will remain a member of the 17th Congress,” Roque said.

Roque said he could not be ousted by Kabayan for making sexually charged and allegedly “scandalous” questions during the House hearing on the Bilibid drug trade, which he said he only asked to provide humor to ease tension during the hours-long hearing.

Roque drew laughter during the House hearing when he prodded Senator Leila De Lima’s driver Ronnie Dayan, the alleged bagman in the drug trade, what he meant by “salat” when he referred to touching the contents of the bag of alleged drug money.

Roque also said he suspected that the plot against him was instigated by his fellow Kabayan congressman Salo who was previously a consultant at the Department of Health.
READ: Harry Roque kicked out from House by own partylist 

This after Roque opposed the appointment of Health Secretary Pauline Ubial whom he accused of failing to stop the Zika virus from entering the Philippines, and failing to fulfill the promise of the administration for universal health care.

Roque said his actions are protected by his constitutional freedom of expression, and that he should not be required to report to the party-list on what he is allowed to say.

“I had no intention of picking up a fight with these usurpers in my party-list. I was okay to let them be for as long as they allow me to discharge my functions as member of this august chamber,” Roque said.

“Pero ang mga pangyayaring ito, kailangan kong ipaglaban ang mandato na binigay ng taumbayan,” he added.

Roque said he has filed a petition before the Commission on Elections questioning his removal from the party-list.

Kabayan (Kabalikat ng Mamamayan) is a multi-sectoral group representing, among others, farmers, senior citizens, the disabled, migrant workers, and the poor.