Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said Wednesday he plans to challenge before the Supreme Court the minority squabble at the House if the controversy is not resolved in accordance with House rules.
“‹He said the controversy must be resolved by the high court “so that future Congresses will be guided.”
Fariñas made his statement even as Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Wednesday she will not intervene in the ongoing battle for the minority leadership in the House of Representatives.
“I leave that to the parliamentarians [to settle] among themselves,” Arroyo said in a chance interview at the sidelines of the Greening the NLEX project of NLEX Corp., which will plant an additional 62,000 bougainvillea saplings along the 23-kilometer stretch of the highway from Balagtas, Bulacan, to San Fernando City in Pampanga.
Arroyo’s surprise election as Speaker has left three groups contesting the right to be recognized as the minority bloc, but leftist lawmakers could tip the balance in favor of the opposition Liberal Party.
Among them are the groups of incumbent House minority leader Danilo Suarez, Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo, who claims to be the new minority leader, and the allies of Alvarez that include Fariñas.
As far as Fariñas is concerned, Suarez gave up his minority leadership post when he voted for Arroyo’s speakership.
“The rules clearly state that those who vote for the winning candidate will constitute the majority. Those who did not will meet among themselves and elect their minority leader, and that is clear,” he said.
In the case of Quimbo, Fariñas said, the Marikina congressman could not claim to be the new minority as “he has not resigned, he has not been removed, his seat has not been declared vacant.” The Alvarez-led House appointed Quimbo as one of its deputy speakers.
In a related development, Suarez said he was offended by the move of ABS Rep. Eugene de Vera, a fellow member in the minority bloc, to be recognized as the new minority leader.”‹
