Caparros, Carlo Jayfer

AB Political Science
PSCM353

House to settle minority issue

Published July 28, 2018, 2:59 PM
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola

(MANILA BULLETIN)

Three groups in the Lower Chamber are competing to be recognized as the minority bloc: the multi-party
opposition led by Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, who was minority leader before the revamp; Liberal Party
under Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo; and the Makabayan bloc headed by ACT Teachers Partylist
Antonio Tinio.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III urged the leadership of the House of Representatives to maintain respect
for members of its minority.

Pimentel gave the unsolicited advice following the shouting match during the Lower Chamber’s plenary
session Wednesday due to the resolution electing former President and current Pampanga Representative
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as their new House Speaker.

Pimentel made the statement when asked about the apparent struggle in the leadership at the House,
following the ouster of Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as Speaker.

In their Wednesday afternoon session, Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas questioned Arroyo’s election
through a resolution which, according to him, did not reach the House Committee on Rules. ACT-
Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio then stood at the podium to object to the adoption of the resolution, but was
supposedly prevented with the turning off of his microphone.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier said the proceedings were “unparliamentary” as he warned
members of the House about not observing legislative processes.
“Unparliamentary. You cannot not listen to an objection. Rules are rules and if you do not follow rules
then anarchy becomes a very dangerous precedent,” Sotto said.

On the issue of the House minority leadership, Pimentel highlighted that a practice is being followed the
Senate.

“Those who did not vote for the speaker of the Chamber are considered members of the minority and then
it’s their business to elect their minority leader. That is the practice,” Pimentel said.

Any organization or deliberative assembly, be it small or big in size, must follow a certain rules
and regulation in order to function effectively and efficiently. Hence they adopt a detailed and systematic
parliamentary procedure to govern all theirs proceedings. Senator Vicente Sotto was indeed right when he
argued that the recent conducts in the House of Representatives was “unparliamentary”. It was in relation
to their Wednesday Session, July 25, 2018, where there were commotion happened on a formal legislative
proceeding. It was caused when the presiding officer, the now Majority Floor Leader Rolando Andaya,
deliberately ignored the objection raised by Rep. Antonio Tinio. This was clearly against the principle of
a full and free discussion where all sides must be heard. The shouting on the other hand also violates the
principle of decorum as it was a formal legislative proceeding. They acted like folks arguing over a casual
drinking session and not in an actual parliamentary proceeding. In the first place, parliamentary procedure
is followed so that the deliberation would not end up in chaos and confusion. Senator Aquilino Pimentel
III should also be mentioned as he said that the minority bloc in the lower house should be respected.
Accordingly, the minority is important to serve as a check and balance mechanism for the majority. It is
high time for them to remind each member of the congress that they should behave according on their
internal rules of procedure in order to avoid criticism from the people and ultimately, to function effective
as a legislative body.