Alvarez: Farinas’ bid for traffic violation immunity rules-based, but…

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. PATHRICIA ANN V. ROXAS/INQUIRER.net

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez defended on Wednesday majority leader Rudy Fariñas’ proposal that representatives be exempted from minor traffic violations to allow them to attend sessions in Congress.

Alvarez said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum in Manila that Fariñas was merely citing the law.

“Para bang napakaliit ng bagay na ‘yun. Sinabi lang naman ni Fariñas kung ano ‘yung naka-titik sa rules,” Alvarez said, referring to the House of Representatives’ rule cited earlier by Fariñas.

(That’s a small thing. What Fariñas said was based on rules.)

Fariñas previously said an errant lawmaker who was given reprieve for minor traffic violations may be surrendered by the Speaker to authorities only after the session.

READ: Fariñas to enforcers: Don’t delay lawmakers because of traffic violations

He added that these violations could unduly prevent the lawmaker from performing his or her mandate of attending the 4 p.m. sessions from Mondays to Wednesdays.

Alvarez, pointed out though that such immunity is not needed because majority of the lawmakers go to Congress early.

READ: Opposition lawmakers reject Fariñas call to exempt them from traffic rules

“Hindi naman para sa akin (For me, no),” Alvarez said when asked if he agrees with the majority leader’s proposal.

“Maaga naman kami eh.  Kung meron man na nagmamadali, ‘yun ‘yung kapag araw ng Lunes (We arrive early anyway. People only rush during Mondays),” he added. /idl