Gerville Luistro elected chairperson of House Committee on Justice

Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, one of the 11 House prosecutors for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, has been named the chairperson of the House Committee on Justice.

This happened after the House, during Wednesday’s plenary session, approved the motion put forward by House Majority Leader and Ilocos Rep. Sandro Marcos.

The House Committee on Justice tackles “all matters directly and principally relating to the administration of justice, the Judiciary, the practice of law and integration of the Bar, legal aid, penitentiaries and reform”, including impeachment complaints.

Aside from Luistro, other House members elected as chairpersons of various House Committees include:

• Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga for House Committee on Agriculture and Food
• Camarines Sur Rep. Anthony Horibata for House Committee on Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources
• Manila Rep. Irwin Tieng for the House Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries
• Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo for House Committee on Basic Education and Culture as Chairperson
• Bukidnon Rep. Laarni Roque for House Committee on Civil Service and Professional Regulations
• Cavite Rep. Aniela Tolentino for House Committee on Climate Change
• Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez for House Committee on Constitutional Amendments
• COOP-NATCCO party-list Rep. Felimon Espares for House Committee on Cooperative Development
• Antique Rep. Antonio Legarda, Jr. for House Committee on Economic Affairs
• Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez for the House the Committee on Energy
• Pangasinan Rep. Rachel Arenas for House  Committee on Foreign Affairs
• Cavite Rep. Antonio Ferrer for House Committee on Games and Amusements
• Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre for House Committee on Higher and Technical Education
• Camarines Sur Rep. Miguel Luis Villafuerte for House Committee on Information and Communications Technology

Opposition figures led by ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima were also elected to House leadership posts.

De Lima was elected as one of the House Deputy Minority Leaders alongside the following:

• Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice
• Rep. Presley De Jesus
• APEC party-list Rep. Sergio Dagooc
• Dinagat Rep. Arlene Bag-ao
• Samar Rep. Stephan Tan
• Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña
• ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio
• Quezon City Rep. Bong Suntay
• Pusong Pinoy party-list Rep. Jed Nisay
• Samar Rep. Reynolds Tan
• Albay Rep. Krisel Lagman

First-termer Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno was also elected as one of the House Assistant Minority Leaders alongside fellow lawyer and first-termer, Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co.

The motion to elect the members of the House Minority as House leaders and members of the Committee on Rules was put forward by House Minority Leader and 4PS party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan.

In a statement, de Lima said that the House Minority bloc will perform their fiscalizer mandate to the best of their ability.

“Maraming salamat sa tiwala ninyo at sa karangalang ito. Kasama ang buong Minority bloc, buong sigasig at katapatan po nating tutuparin ang sinumpaan nating tungkulin bilang mambabatas,” De Lima said in a statement.

(We thank you for this trust and honor. The Minority bloc will fulfill our mandate with integrity and perseverance.)

“Hinding-hindi po natin sasayangin ang tiwala at mandatong ipinagkaloob sa atin ng taumbayan,” she added.

(We won't waste the trust and the mandate given to us by the people.)

House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos said the session started at 2 p.m. instead of the usual 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

The 2 p.m. start time for the session, Marcos said, will be implemented during the House reorganization phase since the chamber is not yet done electing House Committee chairpersons and members.

“Given the fact that the House is in the process of organizing itself by appointing its chairpersons, its members to the committees, and of course going through the bills that were filed before the resumption of session, we have a lot on our plate right now,” Sandro Marcos said.

“In order to expedite, I thought it would be prudent for the House to start session at 2 p.m. instead of 3 p.m. It's not a big change, but we can do a lot more with that time. This is just until the House gets organized,” he added. –NB, GMA Integrated News