(UPDATED) - The House of Representatives had a chaotic plenary session on Wednesday, July 25, as some lawmakers questioned the legitimacy of the July 23, 2018 proceedings that installed former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the new Speaker.
According to the notes on plenary proceedings prepared by the House media bureau, however, the plenary adopted House Resolution 2025 via viva voce voting amid the heated exchange among some congressmen and the objections of ACTS Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio.
The resolution seeks to enter into the House records the July 23 proceedings.
Former House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas took the floor during the plenary session Wednesday after former deputy speaker Fredenil Castro, who was elected as majority leader on July 23, moved to approve House Resolution 2025.
Fariñas said Resolution 2025 did not pass the committee on rules, the committee he chairs. He argued that he was still the majority leader.
"As of the last session the other day (Monday), I am the majority leader," said Fariñas.
"May I know if this resolution passed the committee on rules?" he added.
"I am chair and I do not know any of this," he further said.
Deputy Speaker Rolando Andaya Jr. who was presiding, said: "Castro was elected interim majority and [it was] approved."
Andaya proceeded to call for a House vote through viva voce amid the objection of Tinio.
Tinio continued to object even after his microphone was shut down.
Tinio shouted: "Pinatayan niyo ako ng mic, may nag-oobject hindi ninyo kinilala, kitang-kita naman oh! Mahiya naman kayo, I am objecting!"
(You shut down my mic. You refused to acknowledge the objection. You should be ashamed. I am objecting!)
His microphone was turned on again a few minutes later.
The plenary session was suspended following the heated exchange.
Castro, who went to the press room after the impasse, said House Resolution 2025 was carried.
He also insisted that he is the new majority leader, after he was elected during the July 23 proceedings.
"When I was designated by the duly elected speaker of the house as interim majority, I had the authority to take over the position of the majority leader," he said.
A few minutes after the suspension Andaya reopened the session and called for the adjournment of the plenary session. The plenary session will resume on July 30, said Andaya.
Resolution 2025 seeks to enter into the House records the July 23, 2018 proceedings held right after the State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte.
"In the evening of July 23, 2018, after the State of the Nation Address of the President of the Philippines, the House of Representatives convened to elect a new speaker of the House of Representatives pursuant to a signed manifesto of support of the majority of the members," the resolution states.
During the July 23 special session, the House put to a vote a motion declaring former President and Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the new Speaker, replacing Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.
Based on the resolution, there were 243 members of the House present during the special session Monday. Of the total, 184 voted Yes, 3 voted No, while 12 abstained. How the 44 other congressmen voted was not clear.
The special session finished what Arroyo's allies started before the President's Sona Monday afternoon.
After their session on Monday morning was abruptly adjourned, majority of the House members converged for an informal microphone-less and mace-less session and signed a manifesto declaring Arroyo as their new leader.
Arroyo then took her oath, but Alvarez's allies questioned the informal session because of the absence of the mace. The leadership row delayed Duterte's speech by at least 75 minutes. The program proceeded after the President requested that Alvarez be allowed to co-preside the joint session in behalf of the House.
The House again converged for another session after the President's Sona. Towards the end of the nominal voting on the motion to declare Arroyo as Speaker, another mace was brought inside the session hall to the cheers of the legislators. (With MVI/SunStar Philippines)