Party-list coalition denounces replacement of pro-Velasco deputy speaker

The Party-list Coalition on Sunday denounced the removal of 1-Pacman party-list Representative Michael Romero as deputy speaker amid the power row between Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco.

“The Deputy Speaker post taken from the 1-PACMAN Party-list at the onset of the 18th Congress was part of a delicate balance to ensure equitable and proportional representation of the party-lists and their constituencies in the House of Representatives,” the coalition said in a statement.

“That post was not for the person but for the entire Party-list bloc. Abot-langit ang pagkadismaya namin sa hindi makatwirang pagkakatanggal sa aming kasamahang si Rep. Michael Romero bilang Deputy Speaker. Paano siya napatalsik gayong wala namang botohang naganap? Anong klaseng procedure ‘yun?” they added.

Romero was removed as deputy speaker in the middle of plenary deliberations on the 2021 national budget. 

The House later moved to elect Capiz Representative Fred Castro as Romero’s replacement.

Romero is a known supporter of the term-sharing agreement of Cayetano and Velasco while Castro backed Cayetano’s continued tenure as Speaker.

Pro-Velasco congressmen later accused Cayetano of vindictiveness following Romero’s removal from his Deputy Speaker post. 

PBA party-list Representative Jericho Nograles also stressed that House rules were violated Romero's removal. 

Meanwhile, the Party-list Coalition asserted its right to be physically present on the plenary floor so that they could “swiftly take action given the flurry of tactical maneuvers happening at plenary, far from the limits placed on us who participate only remotely and virtually.”

“We, the members of the Party-list Coalition are reduced to being virtual remote spectators while those physically present on the floor have their way. We refuse to be mere spectators. We assert our collective strength,” the coalition concluded. — Julia Mari Ornedo/BM, GMA News