MANILA -- House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte intends to assign the ethics committee of the lower Congress to a member of the minority party in the interest of transparency.
“It is my intention to turn over the committee on ethics which has something to do with the internal discipline of the House to the minority,” said Belmonte despite tradition that all committee chairmanships are awarded to members of the majority party.
Belmonte however did not mention who he will assign although Minority Leader Edcel Lagman has already made the recommendation.
The ethics committee is expected to investigate the drug trafficking case of Representative Ronald Singson (first district, Ilocos Sur) in Hong Kong.
Singson, son of Ilocos Sur Governor Luis Singson, was arrested at the Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International Airport on July 11 for possession of 26.1 grams of cocaine and two tablets of Valium.
The younger Singson is in his second term as congressman of his district. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)