Kabayan alleges threats from Roque, will push for 3rd nominee’s proclamation

The Kabayan party-list alleged that Harry Roque's camp threatened to use his influence as new presidential spokesperson to obstruct the proclamation of another member as Roque's successor and ultimately "destroy" the party-list.

In a statement on Monday, Kabayan said it will follow the rule of law in nominating its third nominee, lawyer Ciriaco Calalang, to succeed Roque as party-list Representative.

"Kabayan party-list chooses to abide by the rule of law, not by the rules of Roque that only serves his personal interests," the party-list said.

"Atty. Ciriaco S. Calalang is Kabayan party-list's third nominee and by operation of law is the legal successor to the position of Kabayan party-list representative in Congress," it added.

The party-list alleged that Roque's camp, in a phone call to former party-list secretary-general Victor Caguimbal, threatened to use the influence, power and resources of Roque's new office to stop Calalang's proclamation and destroy the party-list.

According to the party-list, Roque wanted to his chief of staff Romel Bagares to replace him as Kabayan party-list representative.

The party-list, however said they will abide by the Party-list Law and its list of nominees for the 2016 elections.

"Further, how can Romel Bagares be a Kabayan party-list Representative if he is not even a member of Kabayan party-list?" it said.

Kabayan also said that Roque has apparently organized an "illegal party congress" composed of non-party-list members to "obstruct" Calalang's proclamation.

"Sensing that his machinations won’t work, the camp of Roque said that should Kabayan party-list pursue the proclamation of Calalang, the Kabayan Board of Trustees will lose its credibility to him," the party-list said.

The party-list, however, seems undeterred by Roque's threats. In fact, in its Regular Board Meeting held Sunday, the Kabayan Board of Trustees expressed its full support to Calalang's proclamation.

"Calalang is the rightful nominee to serve the unexpired term of Roque, who has been giving press briefings already in Malacanang at the podium of the Presidential Spokesperson," the party-list said.

"Roque’s obtrusive plan to cling on to his congressional seat through his dummy Bagares makes us wonder why is he very much interested in the congressional seat when the podium he holds there at Malacañang is clearly a more powerful position? Why is he so attached to said congressional seat and is hell-bent in having his own nominee occupy the vacant seat?" it added.

Roque, however, chose to turn his ire to his rival and fellow Kabayan party-list Representative Ron Salo instead of directly responding to the party-list's statement.

"[He's] hallucinating to think I'm giving him any importance," Roque told GMA News Online when asked for comment on the party-list's statement, referring to Salo.

"He will be expelled because he's unfit to be a congressman. Full stop," he added.

Roque has filed six ethics complaints against Salo for multiple violations of the House of Representatives Code of Conduct, which he urged the chamber to immediately act upon.

Salo, on the other hand, has filed a disbarment case against Roque before the Supreme Court. — BM, GMA News