The leadership of the House of Representatives on Tuesday implemented the “padlocking” of session hall at exactly four o’ clock in the afternoon to ensure quorum.
The decision came after some lawmakers were marked absent for failure to make it during the roll call at the start of the session. Doors of the session of the House were closed at 4 p.m. and the late-comers were only allowed to enter the session hall after the roll call.
A total of 226 lawmakers showed up during Tuesday session.The overwhelming attendance prompted House senior deputy minority leader and Buhay Hayaang Yumabong (Buhay) party-list Rep. Lito Atienza to commend Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez for the policy that ensure quorum in the session hall.
“This is impressive because we can transact business here at the session hall with the presence of quorum immediately after four in the afternoon,” Atienza said in plenary session Tuesday.
The House leadership earlier issued a memorandum to its members reminding them of the policy to lock the session hall after the Call to Order at 4 p.m. and to mark as absent those lawmakers who would appear after the roll call.
House Majority Floor Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas issued a memorandum dated May 22, 2017 regarding the time of the daily roll call.
The one-page memorandum, that was implemented during the Second Regular Session of the 17th Congress, was approved by Alvarez and was agreed upon by Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez.
Fariñas said the House leadership’s policy was decided during the all-party caucus on May 17, 2017 and “in line with our efforts to facilitate our plenary deliberations. “
“The daily Roll Call starting Tuesday, July 25,2017, will commence right after the Call to Order at 4 p. m., at which time all doors leading to the session hall shall be locked and shall be opened only after the Roll Call,” the memorandum said.