Congressman lost post for not supporting revenue program—Aquino

MANILA, Philippines—The  administration coalition stripped Batangas Representative Hermilando Mandanas of his committee chairmanship for his failure to support the government’s revenue generation policies, not for his failure to sign the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona.

President Benigno Aquino made the clarification on Thursday after Mandanas was removed as chair of the powerful ways and means committee in the House of Representatives.

“It has nothing to do with the impeachment,” the President said. “It has all to do with his being chairman of a committee on ways and means and adopting a position not supported by anybody else.”

Aquino said Mandanas’ position on the value added tax collection being included in the computation for local governments’ internal revenue share would have cost the national government P500 billion.

He added that Mandanas did not support the coalition’s proposed changes in six tax laws.

“You do not own that position by virtue of being elected to Congress. You owe the position by virtue of the fact that you’re part of the majority coalition that seeks to have chairmen who are representative of their views,” the President said.