WHILE Malacañang welcomed the election of Senator Aquilino Pimentel III as Senate president and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as Speaker of the House, politicking emerged early at the 17th Congress, particularly over the leadership of the minority in House of Representatives.
Alvarez, who was nominated by former speaker and Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr., was selected speaker by an overwhelming vote from 251 lawmakers but the post of minority leader went to limbo as Alvarez’s contender vied for the juicy post.
Alvarez’s contenders were Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez and Ifugao Rep. Teddy Brawner Baguilat Jr. Suarez was nominated by freshman congressman Harry Roque of Kabayan party-list while Baguilat was named by Northern Samar Rep. Raul Daza.
Based on the existing House rules, Baguilat should be automatically be the minority leader after he obtained the second highest number of vote next to Alvarez—eight, or just one vote more than Suarez’s seven votes.
But since the new House leadership did not recognize Baguilat, who was fielded by Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman to stop what they called Suarez’s “company union,” the claim is expected to be challenged in the coming days.
Baguilat said he would insist that he is the legitimate minority leader. “It was very clear that I am the House Minority Leader. We cannot change the rules in the middle of the game. The rules and precedents are clear and it favors my assumption as House Minority Leader,” Baguilat said.
But Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said all congressmen who did not vote for Alvarez for Speaker automatically become members of the minority.
Suarez agreed with Fariñas. “Those who did not vote for the winning Speaker, which is Congressman Alvarez, can elect their own minority leader, including our colleagues who abstained, if they want to be part of the minority.”
Given this interpretation of the rules, all those who voted for Baguilat, Suarez and all the 21 congressmen who abstained will have to choose a minority leader among their ranks, opening a chance for Suarez to be elected minority leader.
This developed as Alvarez outlined the House’s legislative agenda, including the reimposition of the death penalty for heinous crimes, reverting the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 years to nine years old, enacting a Freedom of Information law; a simplified income system and the revision of the 1987 Constitution.
Meanwhile, Alvarez named the five new deputy speaker as Eric Singson of Ilocos Sur, Mercedes Alvarez of Negros Occidental, Fred Castro of Capiz and Raneo Abu of Batangas and Romero Quimbo of Marikina.
The Speaker also named Cesar Pareja new House secretary general, replacing Marilyn Yap and retired Lt. Gen. Roland M. Detabali as new sergeant-at-arms, replacing Nicasio Radovan.
Also on Monday, Malacañang welcomed the election of Alvarez and Pimentel as leaders of the two houses of the new Congress.
“We congratulate the election of Senator Aquilino Pimentel III as Senate president and the election of Davao del Norte Representative Pantaleon Alvarez as Speaker of the 17th Congress,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.
“The election of Senate President Pimentel and House Speaker Alvarez is auspicious and timely. Three of the country’s top leaders came from Mindanao,” he added.
Pimentel and Alvarez will both lead the “supermajority” in Congress, expected to press on Duterte’s priority legislative measures.
“We look forward to a pro-active cooperation between the executive and legislative branches. We hope that this would expeditiously address issues and concerns regarding President Rodrigo Duterte’s priority legislative measures for the Filipino people,” Andanar said.