Speaker: Duterte had no hand in House shakeup

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

President Duterte had no hand in the ouster of lawmakers who voted against the death penalty bill, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said on Thursday, a day after former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a deputy speaker, and 11 committee chairs were removed from their posts.

“The President does not interfere,” Alvarez said.

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the revamp was “left to the discretion of the House leadership.”

He said Malacañang appreciated and respected Arroyo’s opposition to the death penalty while continuing to support the Duterte administration.

12 seats declared vacant

Alvarez said the House leadership decided “to put an end to speculations” on what would be done to opponents of death penalty. The bill was supported by 217 of 292-member chamber.

Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said he was instructed by Alvarez late on Wednesday, before Congress adjourned for a Holy Week break, to declare the 12 seats vacant, a parliamentary move to initiate a revamp.

He said he talked to most of the 12 lawmakers, including Arroyo.

“It was a painful job for me to do it as she [Arroyo] is the godmother in baptism of my late son, JR,” he said.

Fariñas also met with the seven-member Makabayan bloc, which lost three committee chairs: Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus of the poverty alleviation committee, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate of natural resources, and ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio of public information.

LP lost 4 committees

The Liberal Party (LP) lost chairmanship of four committees.

LP Rep. Miro Quimbo of Marikina, a deputy speaker who voted “yes,” was uncertain about recommending other LP members to replace their colleagues.

Those who were sacked also included Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, who chaired the civil service and professional regulation committee; Quezon City Rep. Jose Christopher Belmonte, land use; Amin Rep. Sitti Turabin-Hataman, Muslim affairs; Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, people participation.

Also ousted were Batanes Rep. Henedina Abad, who headed the government reorganization committee, and Diwa Rep. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar of the women and gender equality committee.

“With much peace and with deep honor, I accept the consequence of believing in our cause, and standing firmly by it,” Hataman said on Facebook.

Archbishop Socrates Villegas praised the antideath penalty legislators, saying they have “proclaimed the Gospel of Life, and the Lord of Life shall be their reward.”—WITH REPORTS FROM LEILA B. SALLAVERIA AND TINA G. SANTOS