De Lima to Robin: Not the job of genuine opposition to be obstructionist

"Hindi ata niya naiitindihan ang trabaho ng isang minority."

(He doesn't seem to understand the job of the minority.")

House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and ML Party-list Representative Leila de Lima said this of Senator Robin Padilla's statement that he will oppose the convening of the Senate Impeachment Court because as a member of the opposition, it is his duty to oppose as a matter of course.

"Hindi po puwede yan na lahat, lahat na lang ng bagay, lahat na lang na mga issues, lahat na lang na mga moves ng majority including proposed legislative measures or resolutions emanating from the majority ay kokontrahin ng minority. Ako po is minority. I'm part of the minority here. I'm even the Senior Deputy Minority Leader now," de Lima said in an ambush interview.

(It's not that every thing, every issue, every move by the majority including proposed legislative measures or resolutions emanating from the majority is opposed by the minority.)

"That's not my understanding of our job here. Yes, we fiscalize, we oppose yung mga sa tingin namin hindi mga magandang polisiya, hindi mga magandang legislative measures," she added.

(We oppose what we see as bad policies, bad legislative measures.)

De Lima cited the anti-political dynasty bills as an example of how members of the minority fiscalize.

She filed one version of the bill. When all the bills on the issue were consolidated, she withdrew her support, citing the House version as weak.

"But we're not supposed to be an obstructionist. Pag ganoon na lahat na lang i-oppose ng [If you're just going to oppose something because you're in the] minority, you're no longer a genuine minority. You would be considered an obstructionist," De Lima stated.

Padilla fires back

Padilla fired back at De Lima, saying, "Madame Congresswoman, the very meaning of being an 'opposition' is the act of disagreement, resistance, or hostility toward someone or something."

"In politics, it frequently takes the form of a party or person competing against another. It implies acting against a proposal, policy, or leader—often representing 'the opposition,' the largest non-government party in a parliament," he said.

Recalling her role as a minority senator, Padilla also cited de Lima's opposition to former President Rodrigo Duterte's platforms, which he said was never agreed upon by her group.

"If you think I am biased regarding the impeachment, I believe your group is biased as well. However, if the impeachment court is ever convened, I hope you remember that as senators, we must remove our hats as legislators and put on the hats of judges," he said.

"That is where our biases end and our oath to the Constitution starts," he added.

Padilla said: "Lecturing me about the minority and the majority is lame; of all people, you should know the nature of the power struggle in both houses".

"At our age, we should be living in the real world of politics. I do not live by a script—I have never had one in my political life. I will be a revolutionary until my last day.To be frank, I am not on any side but God’s side," he added.— BM, GMA News