Castro says conflict over House minority may impair House's functions

The ongoing squabble over who will contitute the minority in the House of Representatives, if unresolved, may hamper the progress of several legislation in the lower chamber of Congress, a lawmaker said on Saturday.

House Deputy Speaker Fredenil Castro said competing factions for the House minority should resolve the conflict among themselves on who should be their leader.

"Kung hindi sila magkakasundo, pupunta sila ng Korte Suprema. Ang problema niyan, in the meantime walang minority. 'Yung business ng Congress ay hindi maitutuloy," Castro said in a news forum at the University of the Philippines Hotel in Quezon City.

"Under our Constitution, kailangan may minority at majority group to maintain the check and balance. Without that, lacking ang isang complement kaya Congress cannot move without the minority... Hindi magfa-function, insofar as passing legislation and doing its official function," he said.

The power struggle that installed Pampanga 2nd District Representative and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the new Speaker of the House has resulted in confusion over who constitutes the minority in the House.

"Apat na grupo ang nagsasabi na sila ay minority. Una 'yung Makabayan group. Number two 'yung group ng incumbent ngayon na si Danny Suarez. Number three 'yung Liberal party. At pang-apat 'yung grupo ni former Speaker Alvarez at Rudy Fariñas," Castro said.

"Ngayon hindi malaman sa ngayon kung sino talaga ang legitimate minority, dahil kung susundin ang Korte Suprema, ang aming rules ay nagsasabi na 'yong bumoto sa Speaker ay automatic [majority] at ang hindi bumoto sa Speaker or nag-abstain 'yun ay minority, at kapag ikaw ay wala diyan gusto mong maging minority, mag-apply ka at titignan namin kung tatanggapin ka as minority member," he said.

However, the current situation seems to be very difficult to resolve, Castro said.

"Ngayon may problema kasi lahat ngayon ay nagsasabi na minority sila...," he said.

"Kaya ngayon, ano ang position ng majority? Sinabi namin sa majority na hindi namin kayo pakikialaman. Mag usap-usap kayo and agree among yourselves kung sino sa inyo ang magiging minority leader," Castro said.

"Ang proposal ng majority is to devise a mechanic on how you can select your minority leader at kung sinoman ang mapili ninyo ay kikilalanin namin," he said.

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman earlier said that only in the Philippines do quirks of politicians happen in damaging and embarrassing frequency. 

Lagman said the "authentic minority" should be those who abstained from voting for Arroyo, as per House rules. —KG, GMA News