MR. Speaker, I rise on a matter of personal and collective privilege.
My failure to respond to the privilege speech of the gentleman from the 5th district of Cebu (Rep. Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco) last Wednesday, March 4, affects my duties, conduct, rights, privileges, dignity, integrity or reputation as a Member of this House.
He alleged that my privilege speech last Tuesday, March 3, was out of order. The gentleman said I “acted out of order” and my speech violated Section 22, Rule XVI. That accusation has cast aspersions on my knowledge of the House Rules and my conduct as a legislator for a good number of years now.
What did I do, which the gentleman from Cebu said made my conduct “out of order”?
He told the public through the news media that all the 48 Visayas legislators supported the stand of the Speaker that the hearings on the bills for the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN was not urgent.
I reponded to the gentleman’s claim in my March 3 speech that the Visayan Bloc (1) was not called to a meeting, (2) the Visayan Bloc did not meet, and (3) the members of the Visayan Bloc were not sounded out in any manner for a consensus on the issue.
I needed to refute the published claim of the gentleman from the 5th district of Cebu that the Visayan Bloc was “solid” behind the position of the Speaker that the hearings of the ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal bills was not urgent.
Because I am a member in good standing of the Visayan Bloc. Because I know for a fact that each member was allowed to express his own stand. Because the claim of “common and solid” stand on the non-urgency of the committee hearings on the ABS-CBN franchise renewal bills was an utter falsehood. Because not refuting it would’ve sullied my honor and reputation: what kind of a legislator would I be if the Visayan Bloc had agreed as a group on one stand and I would publicly contradict that stand without reserving my right to speak against it at the appropriate time?
I needed to set the record straight and to protect my humble reputation as member of this House.
There was no stand of the Visayan Bloc and I did not disrespect the group when I expressed my opinion, which, for the record, is simply this: Give ABS-CBN its day in Congress, as it is given its day in court. Then after the hearings, let the House decide. Stripping the issue of its urgency is in effect denying the broadcast network of its basic right.
And I strongly and earnestly submit: I. DID NOT. VIOLATE. ANY. HOUSE. RULE.
The subject of my speech was the falsehood that assailed my reputation and that of fellow members of the Visayan Bloc. My speech did not dwell on, not even touch, the merits of the major issue, which is the granting or denial of the ABS-CBN franchise. I did not speak on the merits of the franchise renewal or non-renewal, which I know I could not do. I spoke to correct a falsehood and protect my honor, which I know I had all the right to do.
The gentleman from the 5th district of Cebu must have assumed that the 35-member House Visayas Development Committee, chaired by the gentleman, is the same as the 45-member Visayan Bloc, chaired by its lead convenor, former congressman Albee Benetiz. He was incorrect. One group is separate and distinct from the other.
Still, even if the gentleman of the 5th district of Cebu had confused one group with the other, the claim of “solid stand” from the region’s legislators on the question of non-urgency of the hearings remains false. There had been no meeting to forge a common stand, either by the House committee or the alliance of the Visayan Bloc legislators.
As House committee chairman, the gentleman from the 5th district of Cebu cannot speak for the committee, especially on a controversial subject, if the committee has not voted on or even discussed it. For a more cogent reason, he cannot speak for the Visayan Bloc, which has its leader and members who may want to be accorded the basic respect to be consulted before their group will express a common stand in any controversy.
Confusion over his role. And confusion over the limits of his authority.
Thank God that for the 27 years that I had served in the House, six years of which as Deputy Speaker, I have conducted myself fairly, according to the norms laid down by the House.
Had I acted out of order last March 3, the deputy speaker would’ve called my attention to it, either by having a brief recess or telling me right then that I mistepped. He did not.
By the way, if the gentleman from the 5th district of Cebu needs a tutorial on any provisions of the House rules, I will be happy to give it. (Rep. Raul Del Mar’s privilege speech, March 9, 2020)