Speaker Martin Romualdez on Monday warned those “seeking to sow divisiveness” that he will not stand down and will vigorously defend the House of Representatives and its members against threats and intimidation from any source.
“I will stand against anyone who would threaten us to do what they want. I will stand up — all of us — for the sake of the people,” Romualdez said as the House resumed its session yesterday following the All Saints-All Souls Days or Undas holiday break.
“Even though we have different views and beliefs, we stand united when our institution is attacked. We will also not allow anyone to stop us from fulfilling our mandate to our countrymen,” he added.
The House on Monday also adopted a report on a resolution defending the integrity and honor of the institution and supporting the leadership of Romualdez amid repeated baseless and unfounded attacks following their decision to scrap certain confidential and intelligence funds.
Majority Leader and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe sponsored the report on House Resolution 1414, adopted by the Committee of the Whole, that seeks to protect the 310-strong House of Representatives from being maligned further.
Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. (Pampanga) and six Deputy Speakers — Ralph Recto (Batangas), Camille A. Villar (Las Piñas), Vincent Franco Frasco (Cebu), Roberto V. Puno (Antipolo), Kristine Singson-Meehan (Ilocos Sur), and Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza (TUCP) — signed the resolution.
House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro earlier filed a grave threat complaint against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Castro cited the following statements made by the former leader in an SMNI interview which went, “Kayong mga komunista ang gusto kong patayin. Sabi ko sa kanya [Vice President Sara Duterte, his daughter], magprangka ka na lang. Itong intelligence fund na ito gagamitin ko para sa utak ng mga Pilipino kasi ito ang target ko, kayong mga komunista andiyan sa Congress. Prangkahin mo na ‘yan si France Castro.’”
(“It’s you communists who I want to kill. I told her (Vice President Sara Duterte, his daughter), be frank. Say I will use this intelligence fund for the mental development of Filipinos because my targets are you communists there in Congress. Be frank with France Castro.”)
Duterte made the comment in defense of his daughter after the House removed some P650 million in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education which she also heads, on the principle that such funds should be given to agencies with actual national security responsibilities.
It was the first criminal complaint filed against Duterte since he left office.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), a global organization of national parliaments from 180 countries — including the Philippines — earlier called for speedy action on Castro’s case.
“The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union is appalled that the former President of the Philippines directly threatened on air the life of a member of parliament,” the group said.
Romualdez, for his part, hit back at those criticizing the institution he heads, saying they are “a dissatisfied few whose only intention is to sow divisiveness.”
“[We will] remain steadfast and become fiercely united whenever the institution we courageously devote our efforts to, or any individual member of this chamber for that matter, is being threatened by opportunistic motives that aim to distract us from fulfilling our mandate,” he said.
He likewise defended the manner in which the House exercised its power of the purse by approving certain realignments in the proposed 2024 national budget.
“The House was never lenient, nor did it favor anyone. The entire process was dedicated to uplifting the lives of our fellow citizens and staying true to the fundamental principles of the system of checks and balances in the government,” he said.
The Speaker said he and his colleagues only did their job the best way they could.
“Wala pong personalan dito. Trabaho lang (Nothing personal, let’s just work),” he said.
Other House leaders who signed the resolution were Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan (4Ps), Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos (Ilocos Norte), and Reps. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez (TINGOG), and Jude Acidre (TINGOG), Zaldy Co (Ako Bicol), Robert Ace Barbers (Surigao del Norte), Toby Tiangco (Navotas), Angelica Natasha Co (BHW), Brian Raymund S. Yamsuan (Bicol Saro), LRay Villafuerte (Camarines Sur), Albert S. Garcia (Bataan), Johnny Pimentel (Surigao del Sur), Jurdin Jesus M. Romualdo (Camiguin), Michael John Duavit (Rizal), Wilfrido Mark M. Enverga (Quezon), and Jose Aquino II (Agusan del Norte).
“While we recognize that legitimate criticisms are but part of the organs of democracy, we are unfazed. We continue to improve the delivery of our constitutionally mandated obligation to serve the people through legislation,” Dalipe said.