Composition of House minority bloc a call of Arroyo —Quimbo

Marikina City Representative Miro Quimbo believes it is the call of newly-elected Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as to who will be recognized as the new minority bloc at the House of Representatives.

Quimbo made the remark on Sunday amid the squabble in the membership and leadership of the bloc which, according to him, should ensure check and balance in the Lower House.

"Umaasa kami na at the end of the day, it's going to be the Speaker's call," Quimbo told Super Radyo dzBB in an interview.

"Kahit ano pang gawin namin diyan, kung sino ang gustong kilalanin ng Speaker, 'yun ang mananaig," he said.

Members of the Liberal Party have composed themselves as the new "duly-constituted" minority bloc in the House, saying that they did not vote for Arroyo's speakership, and chose Quimbo as their leader.

The House rules state that those who did not vote for a winning candidate for speakership will automatically be part of the minority group.

Quezon Representative Danilo Suarez, however, insisted that he will stay as leader of the minority bloc until the end of the 17th Congress, saying that he will write to Arroyo to allow the incumbent composition of the minority bloc to be retained.

But Quimbo reiterated that it is unacceptable that Suarez will continue to hold the position.

"Talagang hindi katanggap-tanggap hindi dahil kami 'yung nahalal na minority but rather, hindi siya puwedeng maging minority leader na talagang malinaw na binoto niya ay si GMA as Speaker. In fact, hindi lang siya bumoto, siya rin ay nangampanya," Quimbo said.

Quimbo argued that Suarez and his group are doing a disservice to the people by resisting and not following the rules.

"Pinagtatawanan na tayo ngayon. Lalo pa tayong magiging katawa-tawa kapag ang ating minority ay talagang kakamping-kakampi ng majority," he said.

"Kung sa atin lang, sa dami ng trabahong kailangang gawin, ay kailangang magkaisa tayo. Ayusin na natin ito para masimulan na ang iba't ibang batas na gustong i-tackle," he added.

Quimbo called on Arroyo to support his group in order to have a genuine voice of check and balance at the Lower House.

"Ang panawagan natin diyan ay sumuporta ang Liberal Party sa pagbabago ng pamumuno. Nakita namin kung papaano ipinagkait ang minority sa tunay ng boses ng checks and balance noong nagsimula ang Congress na ito nung July 2016," he said.

"Nananawagan kami na dapat matuto tayo sa eleksyon na ito para gawin natin 'yung tama, sundin natin 'yung rules. Hindi naman pwede na nagsisimula pa lang tayo, lalabagin na natin agad ito," he added.

On Saturday, Albay Representative Edcel Lagman said the squabble over who will constitute the minority in the House of Representatives is doing damage to the Lower House of Congress.

He then said the "authentic minority" should be those who abstained from voting for Arroyo, as per House rules.

"Meanwhile, the group of Representatives who abstained from voting for Macapagal-Arroyo, which is the authentic Minority based on the House rules and recent jurisprudence, has not been recognized as the opposition despite its pending formal letter for recognition," Lagman said.

In reply, Suarez said on Saturday 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." —Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News