Bring House minority issue to SC? Go ahead, says Suarez's ally

The group of Quezon Representative Danilo Suarez is unfazed with the plan of Marikina Representative Miro Quimbo to question before the Supreme Court the decision to retain Suarez as House Minority Leader.

In a press conference, BUHAY party-list Representative Lito Atienza said Quimbo is "welcome" to challenge before the high court the chamber's move to declare Suarez as head of the minority bloc.

"Dapat lang ituloy nila ang kanilang pagsisinungaling. They are misinterpreting the rules, they continue to confuse the public," he said.

During the plenary session on Tuesday, Majority Leader Rolando Andaya made a motion to close the period of interpellation on a privilege speech delivered by Quimbo regarding the House minority issue and proceed to dividing the chamber and recognize Suarez as minority leader.

Following a voting of "ayes" and "nays," Deputy Speaker Fredenil Castro approved Andaya's motion, retaining Suarez to the post.

Quimbo, however, opposed the decision of the chamber, saying that it was against House rules that the majority bloc would elect the minority leader.

But Atienza said the majority only decided on the question as regards the interpretation of the House rules.

He added that Quimbo and fellow competing minority leader ABS party-list Representative Eugene De Vera both have a different interpretation of the rules.

"By hiding behind the wall, they claimed leadership and they declared the position of minority leader vacant. And that is not true," Atienza said.

"Mabuti nga siguro na sa Supreme Court sila pumunta para mapagsabihan sila," he added.

Ako Bicol party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin echoed the statement of Atienza, clarifying that the House actually did not vote for the retention of Suarez's post in Tuesday's session.

"What was upheld by the plenary yesterday was the correct interpretation of the rules, not on who is the minority leader or not," he said.

Meanwhile, the group also denied Quimbo's claim that they had threatened lawmakers from his group to transfer to them.

"Minority nga kami, bakit kami mangti-threat?" Garbin said.

"Kung yun nanggagaling sa bibig nila, yun ang anggulo nila," Atienza said.

Suarez had earlier said that his group will remain a critical and constructive minority even as they support the leadership of Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. —KBK, GMA News