Suarez says critics could go to court to challenge minority leadership

House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez on Saturday maintained that only the position for Speaker was of concern amid the conflict on who will constitute the minority in the House of Representatives, and the rest is still "status quo."

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman previously said the recent upheaval in the House which resulted in the installation of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the new Speaker replacing Representative Pantaleon Alvarez has caused the resurgence of "quirks of politicians" happening in "damaging and embarrassing frequency."

"That's his opinion. Ang amin naman is, there is only one position that was taken up for approval of the plenary: decision na may Speaker, and the rest is status quo," Suarez told GMA News Online via phone interview.

"Even the Majority leader is status quo. We may not agree with what happened, but that's their position and it's all right," he added.

Suarez said critics of his retainment of the minority leadership are free to go to court and challenge it.

"If they have something against that, then they can just go anywhere. They can even go to court and question that... file charges and find the necessary action they want to do. I mean, nobody will stop them," the Quezon 3rd District Representative said.

"Alam mo ang mangyayari diyan is the rule of the House. At the end of the day, it's a plenary vote. You want any changes? Then it's the plenary who will select on that," he added.

Lagman, for his part, maintained that "the pertinent rule of the House of Representatives explicitly provides that those who vote for the winning Speaker constitute the majority."

Responding to Lagman's claims that his group also campaigned for Arroyo's election, Suarez said: "Yes, totoo 'yon. Hindi ko naman tinatanggi 'yon."

In a previous interview on News To Go, Suarez said the minority eyed for a leader who is concerned "on the grounds" and works even outside of Manila, just like President Rodrigo Duterte.

He said the House of Representatives did not see Alvarez as a "hands on" leader.

"We need a speaker na may concern at alam ang concern ng bawat congressman. We don't see that in the former Speaker," he said. —KG, GMA News