House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez vowed on Friday to sanction a gun-wielding employee of Congress who recently threatened a police officer in a traffic altercation in Fairvew, Quezon City.
Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, House majority floor leader, said Alvarez gave the instruction to guarantee that Congress will take action on the incident involving Robert Villanueva, a 49-year-old legislative assistant II from New Capitol Estate I, Commonwealth Avenue, Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City.
“The Speaker is right here next to me and giving you [reporters] his word that appropriate action shall be taken,” Fariñas’ statement read in a viber group's post.
Fariñas said that Alvarez expressed disappointment over Villanueva’s attitude, adding that the proceedings on Villanueva’s case is “subject to due process.”
On the other hand, PBA Rep. Jericho Nograles called on Congress’ Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms and Legislative Security Bureau to strengthen the implementation of their rules and regulations in allowing anyone to carry a firearm inside the House of Representatives complex.
“We have very strict rules at the Batasan Complex, all being enforced by the OSAA and the LSB with the assistance of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force. It is a matter of implementation,” he said.
“I believe that the disciplinary committee should look into the issue immediately as this will reflect to the institution. I am proud to say that the men and women of the House of Representatives are very professional. Bobby V. is sadly an exception to the norm,” he said.
Congress sacked Villanueva when he was reportedly caught in a compromising situation with a woman at the IBP complex on Oct. 16, 1999.
Villanueva, however, was reinstated to his job by the Supreme Court in an Aug. 27, 2003 decision that ruled Congress’ sanction that he must not be dismissed from the service, but only suspended.
Capt. Rodolfo Madriaga, 55, of San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, complained that Villanueva, who was armed with a Noringco .9mm pistol, cursed him last Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. following a traffic altercation.
Madriaga said he was driving his Nissan Almera (VS-9574) at the rotunda of Don Jose subdivision along Commonwealth Avenue when Villanueva, who was aboard a Mercedes Kompressor (WPJ-448) confronted him.