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. — BM, GMA News