THE House of Representatives on Sunday said a revamp, including the election of a new majority floor leader and four to five committee chairpersons, will start today.
Deputy Speaker Rolando Andaya Jr., however, did not identify who would succeed Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas.
“Four to five committee chairpersons will have to be replaced,” he told radio dzBB.
He also said House Secretary General Cesar Strait Pareja and House sergeant-at-arms (ret.) Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali would have to be go.
“Those are the positions that have to replaced,” he said.
A congressional source said Andaya and Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, a cousin of Fariñas, were being considered for majority leader.
Two of the five committees that would be revamped are those on justice, headed by Oriental Mindoro Reynaldo Umali, and good government and public accountability, headed by Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel.
Andaya, meanwhile, said the majority bloc would not interfere in the bid by several groups to become the new minority bloc.
The members of the majority cannot interfere with how the minority will choose their leaders, he added.
Following the election of Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as speaker, several groups have vied to become the minority bloc of the House, including the Liberal Paty, with Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo as their leader; the group of ousted speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, and the incumbent minority bloc led by Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez.
The leftist Makabayan bloc is also said to be in talks with the LP.
Quimbo on Sunday said choosing a genuine opposition group to lead the minority bloc would be a good start under a new Speaker, since this would guarantee checks and balances.
Quimbo, an outgoing deputy speaker, said House rules that have also been upheld by the Supreme Court are very clear that only those who abstained from electing former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo as Speaker must belong to the minority bloc.
“I call on [Quezon] Rep. [Danilo] Suartez to give Speaker Arroyo a good start. She has been quiet for a long time. This is [now] the chance for her to lead us effectively. She should prove to us why she deserves to replace Speaker [Pantaleon] Alvarez,” he said.
“This is an important or great opportunity for the former president. If she really wants to start it right, let us not make things difficult for her. Let us just follow the rules and that is the best start of all things we should do,” he told radio dzBB.
Quimbo said his group would be constructive in its role as the new minority bloc.
“We will show her that we will not be obstructionist. We will be constructive. During the Bangsamoro Organic Law [deliberation and passage], we supported it 100 percent,” he said.
