Wednesday, July 25, 2007 Questions on record of votes come up; Cebu’s del Mar is again deputy speaker
REP. Raul del Mar (Cebu City north) was elected again as deputy speaker for the Visayas yesterday, even as members of the Lower House continued with their debate about the speakership and the manner that it was done.
However, Rep. Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City south), who nominated De Venecia, did not show up yesterday.
When session started yesterday, the second day, several congressmen started asking questions on how the journal reflected their votes, saying they wanted to make sure that it shows they voted for De Venecia.
Most of those who raised the issue were reflected as abstained and they wanted the secretary to “correct” the records.
Makati’s Rep. Teodoro Locsin asked how votes were supposed to be recorded when there was no contest. De Venecia said it was just to show “in effect the inclination” of members.
Because many of his colleagues wanted their records “corrected,” Locsin said “let’s not invent events that did not happen that day.”
Parañaque City Rep. Roilo Golez also said: “We’ll have a messy situation. I don’t think we should tolerate this. It’s not healthy to allow a member to stand here and have their votes altered or corrected.”
Another congressman noted that it might be like any ordinary elections in the Philippines where votes are changed after the elections.
De Venecia ruled that they should just wait for the printout of the journal before they tackle the matter.
Aside from other points on the speakership elections that were raised, Camarines Rep. Liwayway Chato also asked how come the minority leader was elected and how the minority group was determined.
She said she wanted to be identified with the minority but did not get any invitation so she was not able to join in the supposed voting.
She also asked why the amendment to the rules for electing minority leader was already amended even before the house rules could be adopted.
Also yesterday, Akbayan Rep. Riza Hontiveros-Baraquel asked why the four deputy speakers elected were all men, when there are capable senior women-members.
Camarines Sur Rep. Arnulfo Fuentebella, one of the four deputy speakers, said they will take note of the suggestion and consider it in the next elections. (JPM)
