The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Quezon 3rd district Rep. Danilo Suarez as minority leader in the House of Representatives.
During its en banc session on Tuesday, the SC unanimously resolved to dismiss the petition of the group led by Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr. seeking to compel the House leadership to recognize them as the legitimate minority.
“The Court dismissed the petition for mandamus for the reason that petitioners were not entitled to the reliefs sought,’’ SC spokesman Theodore Te said in a media briefing.
Te added that the SC emphasized that the dismissal of the petition is “without prejudice to any other controversy involving the internal rules of the House presented in a proper case seeking judicial review.”
The SC, however, has not released a copy of the decision.
Baguilat was joined by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, Northern Samar Rep. Raul Daza, Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, Capiz Rep. Emmanuel Billones, Akbayan partylist Rep.Tom Villarin and Magdalo partylist Rep. Gary Alejano in filing the petition.
The group filed the petition last year, arguing that Baguilat should be recognized as minority leader because he was the runner-up to House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez in the speakership race in July last year where Baguilat got eight votes and Suarez getting seven.
Petitioners argued that Baguilat was entitled to “the long unbroken tradition of the House of Representatives wherein the clear second placer in the speakership contest automatically becomes and is recognized as minority leader.