Saturday, February 09, 2008 Gullas opts for House status quo
REP. Eduardo R. Gullas (Cebu, 1st district) is in favor of a status quo despite the new leadership in the House of Representatives.
Gullas said he wants the current setup of deputy speakers, committee chairpersons and members in the Lower House to remain intact.
In last Monday’s unprecedented removal of former House speaker Jose de Venecia, Gullas noted that only the motion declaring the seat of House speaker as vacant was approved.
Gullas was among the six Cebuano lawmakers who supported the motion with their affirmative votes. Only Reps. Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north) and Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, south) voted against ousting de Venecia.
De Venecia was removed as House speaker after 174 lawmakers voted in favor of the motion, paving the way for the installation of Rep. Prospero Nograles (Davao City) as his successor.
Although de Venecia made a proposal declaring all seats vacant before he wound up his hour-long speech, this was not considered or approved in the floor, Gullas said.
“It was considered as a separate motion,” he added.
Gullas sees no problem with the assumption of Nograles as the new House Speaker, saying this will not affect the passage of his English bill.
Aside from being his colleague in the House Committee on Appointments, Gullas said that Nograles is also a signatory of his bill on the use of English in teaching. (GC)
