HOUSE Deputy Speaker Rolando Andaya Jr. said members of the minority bloc should be the ones to break the standoff among the members of the House of Representatives who are vying to be recognized as the duly-constituted minority bloc.
At least three groups are vying to be declared as the duly-constituted minority bloc: the Liberal Party group led by Marikina Rep. Romero "Miro" Quimbo, the former legitimate minority group led by Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, and the group led by former speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
In an interview on Thursday, July 26, Andaya said neither newly-installed Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo nor members of the majority can make the decision as to who will be the next minority leader or the legitimate minority bloc.
"The majority cannot dictate who is the minority leader. They have to discuss it with themselves...They have to solve it amongst themselves," said Andaya, thus it is unclear to date who are the official members of the minority.
According to Andaya, the election for the post of the majority leader was supposed to have been declared open during the plenary session on Wednesday, July 25, but due to the contentions on the minority race, the majority decided to postpone the voting.
"Kaya hindi namin binotohan muna kung sino yung majority leader because pag nabutohan na yung majority leader necessarily the minority leader will have to be decided upon na rin that's why we held that in abeyance to give time for these groups to talks among themselves, then maybe come up with their own alliances to be able to determine among themselves kung sino yung minority leader nila," said Andaya.
(We have postponed the voting for the majority leader. Because once we elect a majority leader, the minority leader would have to be chosen as well.)
Under Rule II Section 8 of the Rules of the House of Representatives, members who voted for the winning candidate for Speaker shall constitute the majority in the House and they shall elect among themselves a majority leader while the minority leader shall be elected by members of the minority.
A member may transfer from majority to minority or vice versa at any time provided that:
a. The concerned leaders submit a written request to transfer to the majority or minority through the majority or minority leaders;
b. The majority or minority accepts the member concerned in writing; and
c. The speaker shall be furnished by the majority or the minority leaders, as the case may be, a copy of the acceptance in writing of the concerned member.
Quimbo and the 11 members of the Liberal Party abstained, thus under the rules, they are now the members of the minority. Suarez and several members of the former minority bloc, among them Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr., Aniceto Bertiz III and Lito Atienza voted for Arroyo, meaning they are now members of the majority.
In an earlier interview, the group said that they already wrote Arroyo a letter expressing their wish to be retained in the minority group.
Andaya admitted that the House has a "conflicting and a very unique situation to resolve."
He said on one hand, it is correct that Suarez's group are now members of the majority upon voting for Arroyo but, on the other hand, it is also clear that a succeeding provision in Rule II Section 8 provides that a member of the majority can transfer to the minority only through writing a letter.
Fariñas not the majority leader
Andaya reiterated that Fariñas is no longer the majority leader of the House.
During the plenary session on Wednesday, Fariñas questioned the validity of the House resolution that sealed the election of Arroyo.
He said the resolution did not reach the House committee on rules, which he chairs, making it invalid.
Responding to Fariñas, Andaya said he is no longer the majority leader as Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro was elected interim majority leader last Monday before the session that elected Arroyo as Speaker was conducted. This, even without declaring Fariñas' post vacant.
"Effectively, hindi na po siya ang majority leader since Fred Castro was voted as interim majority leader," he said.
Andaya said there is a vacancy in a sense that Castro was officially declared as the interim majority leader.
In a statement, Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin said Fariñas should just apply with the minority group led by Quimbo.
"Cong. Fariñas should just apply with the minority group of former Deputy Speaker Miro Quimbo so we could now work in Congress. We owe it to our people as our employers in government to work for their interests, not our personal vested interests," he said.
Villarin also said Arroyo should follow the House rules as it is the only way to break the deadlock in the squabble for the House minority leader post. (SunStar Philippines)