Lagman slams ‘majority's minority leader;’ Libanan rues unparliamentary remarks

Opposition lawmaker Edcel Lagman criticized the leadership of the House of Representatives for having a hand in the choice of minority leader, which he said makes parliamentary democracy "a shameful farce."

"I have enough evidence to show that a caucus was held and members of the minority had been anointed by the leadership," Lagman said in his counter State of the Nation Address delivered on Tuesday.

The veteran lawmaker expressed "disappointment and disenchantment" in the new House leadership, accusing it of "perpetuating the practice of anointing the majority’s minority leader."

"This is an open secret, a brutal fact," he said .

"A eunuch of a minority leader who is a convenient adjunct of the majority coalition makes parliamentary democracy a shameful farce," he added.

Lagman did not drop a name, but 4Ps party-list representative and former Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan was elected as House minority leader earlier in the afternoon.

"Seeking refuge under the wings of the ruling majority at the expense of one’s convictions is abhorrent. Self-respect is precious. It is not a commodity for partisan haggling," he said.

"But some rationalize that that is how the cookie crumbles. But a cookie of stronger stuff does not crumble!," Lagman added.

Libanan responded by saying that Lagman should refrain from using unparliamentary language. He added his election is in accordance with the 1987 Constitution and the House rules which states that those who did not vote for the winning speaker will compose the Minority bloc and members of the Minority bloc will then elect their leader among themselves.

"We are required to observe proper decorum and use proper parliamentary language. We have to go to our Constitution. I don't see any opposition there. As members of the majority and minority, you perform each and every task required of you," Libanan said.

"What is expected of minority? Under our rules, it is to be vigilant in defending the minority's rights and be critically constructive in policies and programs of the majority. The veteran legislator is making insinuations to the members of the minority. If not put into proper place, it will not be good for our chamber," he added.

Libanan said that the 25 members of the minority bloc he heads represent millions of constituencies that should not be silenced.

"We will not allow anybody to step on our rights," Libanan said.

Lagman, however, maintained that he is just "calling a spade a spade."

"If the distinguished quote minority leader unquote seems to be alluded to, then probably he has a guilty conscience. The Constitution and the rules of the House do not provide that the minority leader should be elected by the majority and yet it has been happening for several congresses," Lagman said.

Under the old House rules, the losing candidate for the speakership race automatically sits as the House minority leader.

This, however, was changed in July 2016 when then Ifugao representative Teddy Baguilat finished second (with eight votes) behind Davao del Norte lawmaker Pantaleon Alvarez in the speakership race.

The majority bloc at that time argued that Baguilat should not sit as minority leader because there are 28 others who did not vote for him for speaker.

The case reached the Supreme Court, which eventually sided with the majority bloc that those who did not vote for the winning speaker should elect their minority leader.—LDF, GMA News