De Lima: House minority at least 30-member strong, will be fiscalizers

The House minority bloc will have at least 30 members, ML party-list Representative Leila de Lima said Monday.

De Lima made the statement amid a joint manifesto endorsing 4Ps Rep. Marcelino Libanan for minority leader in the 20th Congress. Libanan was the House minority leader in the 19th Congress

The First Regular Session of the 20th Congress will start on July 28, Monday.

“Last July 3, we were there in a meeting and we have expressed support for Congressman Nonoy Libanan as minority leader. I understand that the [prospective] member of the minority bloc is not less than 30,” De Lima told reporters.

“We will be fiscalizers...scrutinizing various policies and legislative agenda of the administration. We will perform our role, but we are not going to be obstructionist. If there is a proper legislation [proposed by the administration], we can always support it, but we will call them out over their deficiencies,” she added.

The former senator then said that the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has smaller to zero margin of error since he is already halfway of his term, making the role of the opposition more crucial.

“The Marcos administration, during the first three years, were given some leeway...They are adjusting.  But for the last three years, we will be stricter in monitoring what happened to its legislative agenda,” she said.

As to why they want Libanan to retain his old post, De Lima said Libanan deserves the benefit of the doubt due to his prior leadership experience.

“We are new here [in the House], and we want to see how he leads as the minority leader,” she added.

In the same interview, De Lima said that she already expressed interest in being part of 20 House committees.

“I initially submitted 12 committees I want to be part of, but after I was told that there is no limit for committee membership, I added more so it is now 20,” she said.

De Lima, however, could not say if she was offered a leadership post within the House minority ranks by Libanan.

“I don’t think I am at liberty to speak about that,” she added.

Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno, for his part, said the alliance with Libanan is rooted in collective desire to push for legislation for common good.

“We are supportive of Minority Leader Libanan. We want to push for legislation that will address the needs of ordinary people, and the place for that is really the House Minority,” he said.

“We want to show our people that we are for accountability,” Diokno added.

Aside from de Lima, Diokno, Akbayan Reps. Perci Cendaña and Dadah Ismula, and Dinaga Islands Rep. Arlene Bag-ao, others who expressed support for Libanan are:

• Rep. Audrey Zubiri (3rd District, Bukidnon)
• Rep. Renee Louise Co (Kabataan)
• Rep. Niko Raul Daza (1st District, Northern Samar)
• Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales (Lone District, Eastern Samar)
• Rep. Roberto Gerard Nazal Jr. (Bagong Henerasyon)
• Rep. Elijah San Fernando (Kamanggagawa)
• Rep. Jan Rurik Padiernos (Galing sa Puso)
• Rep. Mary Girlie Veloso (Malasakit at Bayanihan)
• Rep. Edgar Erice (2nd District, Caloocan City)
• Rep. Cielo Krisel Lagman-Luistro (1st District, Albay)
• Rep. Jesus Suntay (4th District, Quezon City)
• Rep. Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers) 
• Rep. Terry Ridon (Bicol Saro)
• Rep. Richard Gomez (4th District, Leyte)
• Rep. Stephen James Tan (1st District, Samar)
• Rep. Reynolds Michael Tan (2nd District, Samar)
• Rep. Allan Ty (LPGMA)
• Rep. Sergio Dagooc (APEC)
• Rep. Presley De Jesus (PHILRECA)
• Rep. Jernie Jett Nisay (Pusong Pinoy)
• Rep. Jonathan Clement Abalos II (4Ps).

Unified stand on Sara impeachment

Meanwhile, Diokno and De Lima expressed hope the minority bloc will have a unified stand on the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.

"I believe there already is a unified stand on the impeachment. The opposition has been calling for accountability for a long time. And this is a perfect opportunity to show the people that we are serious about accountability," Diokno told reporters in an interview.

"I hope so. I hope so. But of course, the way I understand it is that every time we need to decide on certain vital or important issues ay unang-una, kukunin muna dapat ang consensus. And then kung hindi nakukuha 'yung consensus, then probably there would be really voting on those matters,"  De Lima said in a separate interview.

De Lima reiterated that it is unconstitutional for the impeachment court to impose requirements on the House of Representatives because the latter has already done its duty.

"I always hold the position that at this point, Senate cannot be asking or cannot be demanding anything from the House of Representatives with respect to the impeachment case. Kasi nagawa na ng House of Representatives 'yung role niya House already fulfilled its role). So what is left to be done is 'yung umpisahan na yung trial (start the trial), at the House of Representatives will now be represented by the panel of prosecution. So it's not proper, for me," she said

"And in fact, I consider it violative of the Constitution, the very spirit and even the language of the Constitution na at this point na na-transmit na yung Articles of Impeachment, nakapag-file na ng verified answer ad cautelam 'yung respondent at nakapag-file na rin ng reply 'yung prosecution ay hindi na dapat kung ano pa ang mga nire-require from the House of Representatives as a body or as an institution," she added.

De Lima said she does not know yet the stand of the House prosecution panel on the issue as she and Diokno have yet to be elected as members of the panel. But she emphasized that the House should exercise caution in everything it says and does.

"In my personal capacity, whenever I'm asked about it, kailangan maingat na maingat ang House of Representatives, including the prosecution panel, kung ano yung mga magiging hakbang din nila, kung ano ang magiging sagot sa mga pinapagawa, so to speak, ng Senate," she said.

(The House of Representatives, including the prosecution panel, needs to be very careful on the steps it will take and the answers it will give to the Senate.)

When asked about the possibility of the Senate impeachment court dismissing the Articles of Impeachment by a simple majority vote on a motion, de Lima replied, "We will, of course, decide on what's the next legal step to be taken by the prosecution panel. But definitely, may gagawin ang prosecution panel. Because bawal nga, hindi nga dapat, unang-una, kino-consider any dismissal at this point before the trial itself."

Diokno said he expects the impeachment trial to start once the session of the 20th Congress has opened.

He also said that he believes the House will comply with the impeachment court's second requirement to submit a certification that the chamber in the 20th Congress is still interested in pursuing the proceedings.

"The second directive doon sa order ng impeachment court ay makakapag-comply lang ang House pag nagbukas na ang session ng 20th Congress. And I believe that will not be difficult for the Congress to comply," Diokno said.—AOL, GMA Integrated News