Harry Roque on resigning from Congress: Not yet

Incoming Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. INQUIRER FILE / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

Incoming presidential spokesman Harry Roque said he would assume his new post on Monday, Nov. 6, without resigning from Congress. At least not yet.

While he acknowledged that he could not serve as spokesman and congressman at the same time, Roque said he would have to wait for his appointment papers before resigning as congressman.

He said some of his colleagues advised him not to resign from Congress until it was clear whether his appointment would need the approval of the Commission on Appointments (CA) or until he was confirmed by the powerful body.

Roque is currently the deputy minority leader in the House of Representatives, representing the Kabayan partylist.

Interviewed over ABS-CBN News Channel on Thursday, the lawmaker cited as example the case of Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, who only resigned as representative of Las Piñas, after getting the CA’s confirmation.

Asked then what he would do, the incoming spokesman said: “Assume without resigning. And what works for me right now is Congress is on recess …”

Asked again if he would wait for the CA confirmation like what Villar did, Roque said: “Well. until I’m certain that there is no confirmation required.”

The lawmaker believes that his new post should not need CA approval, citing a previous Supreme Court ruling in favor of a former head of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

He said the CA then demanded that the CHR commissioner be confirmed but the SC ruled that the official was not subject to confirmation.

“So there is a possibility that the CA may insist and I’m waiting for the official word from the CA,” Roque said. /cbb

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