Magnificent 7, Makabayan Bloc join LP solons to form House minority

Members of the Magnificent 7 opposition group and the progressive Makabayan Bloc have joined the Liberal Party lawmakers in a bid to constitute the minority coalition at the House of Representatives.

In a letter, Marikina City Representative Miro Quimbo, the chosen leader of the group, informed Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that 10 lawmakers have been added to what he called as the "duly constituted" minority of the House.

LOOK: Members of the progressive Makabayan Bloc have been accepted as part of the Liberal Party-led minority group of the House. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/ZlkAmSvN7t

— Erwin Colcol (@erwincolcol) July 30, 2018

These include Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano, Akbayan party-list Representative Tom Villarin, who are both members of the Magnificent 7, and Occidental Mindoro Representative Josephine Ramirez-Sato.

Also added to the group are ACT Teachers party-list Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate, Anakpawis party-list Representative Ariel Casilao, Gabriela Women's Party Representative Emmi De Jesus and Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan party-list Representative Sarah Elago—all part of the progressive Makabayan Bloc.

The Makabayan Bloc was notably a part of the opposition during the term of former President Benigno Aquino III, who is part of the Liberal Party.

Tinio, however, has consistently said that he and his fellow progressive solons are open to uniting with other groups or individuals at the House who are willing to oppose the anti-people policies of the Duterte administration.

He had earlier admitted that they were in talks with the Liberal Party and the Magnificent 7 to "explore" a possibility of forming an opposition group.

"Sino ba dito, bukod sa amin, ang nagpahayag ng pagkontra, halimbawa, sa Charter change? Liberal party, yung tinatawag na Magnificent 7, kinakausap namin sila," Tinio said in a press conference last week.

"Kinakausap nila kami, kinakausap namin sila," he added.

The merger of these groups came amid the apparent and ongoing squabble in the membership and leadership of the House minority following Arroyo's election as Speaker.

Despite his campaigning and voting for Arroyo's speakership, Quezon Representative Danilo Suarez insisted that he will as 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 be retained.

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