House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez on Saturday dared his critics to elevate the issue of minority squabble to the Supreme Court as he maintained his grip as minority leader despite questions on his loyalty when he supported Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to become the House leader.
“If they have something against that, then they can just go anywhere. They can even go to court and question that… file charges and finds the necessary action they want to do,” Suarez said.
“Nobody will stop them,” he added.
Suarez said it was still status quo as far as the House minority leadership was concerned.
“There is only one position that was taken up for approval of the plenary: the position of Speaker; and the rest is status quo,” Suarez added.
In related developments:
• Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman had said the upheaval in the House, which resulted in the installation of Arroyo as the new Speaker replacing Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez had caused the resurgence of “quirks of politicians” happening in “damaging and embarrassing frequency.”
“That’s his opinion…there is only one position that was taken up for approval of the plenary: decision to have a new Speaker, and the rest is status quo,” Suarez told GMA News Online via phone interview.
“Even the Majority leader is status quo. We may not agree with what happened, but that’s their position and it’s all right,” he added.
• Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Saturday said the recent squabble for the House speakership left him perplexed.
“My eyebrows jumped to my forehead. If it were in showbiz, it’s like ‘What? Why? Why now?,” Sotto said in a radio interview.
Suarez voted for Arroyo for speakership and he was a staunch ally of the Pampanga congresswoman in her nine-year presidency from 2001 to 2010.
Lagman said “the pertinent rule of the House of Representatives explicitly provides that those who vote for the winning Speaker constitute the majority.”
This developed as acting majority leader of the Arroyo-led House, Capiz Rep. Fredinil Castro, said the ongoing controversy on who would constitute the minority at the Lower House might affect the legislative mill and advised the concerned parties “to resolve the conflict among themselves.”
“Under our Constitution, the minority and majority group must maintain the check and balance. Without that, Congress cannot move without the minority either the majority. The House will not function, insofar as passing legislation and doing its official function,” Castro said.