BENHUR IS STAYING PUT, BUT.: Tining prepares speech; to attend session Monday

CEBU, Philippines - Celestino ‘Tining’ Martinez III will deliver his privilege speech on Monday at the House of Representatives after he took his oath before House Speaker Prospero Nograles the other night.

“I will attend the session Monday and I will deliver my privilege speech. Siguro mga one hundred pages na,” Martinez said in an interview with The Freeman.

But Cebu 4th District Rep. Benhur Salimbangon just laughed off such plans saying the legal battle is not yet over, even if the Supreme Court has denied his motion for reconsideration.

Martinez took his oath at Nograles’s office and Salimbangon said that an oath taking of a congressman must be done at the Plenary Hall of Congress and any oathtaking done outside is nothing.

“Formality na lang nang sulod sa Kongreso. Ang importante naka-take oath na ko ni Speaker,” Martinez said.

House Speaker Nograles said that oath must be in the plenary hall before the other congressmen.

“Only then can his name be entered in our rolls. And that’s our House of the People rules of Congress,” Nograles said in a text message sent to The Freeman.

When asked as to whether Martinez’s taking oath at his office already meant that the latter is now the congressman of the 4th District, the House Speaker did not reply.

Martinez said that a notice to vacate for Salimbangon to remove his things at the House of Representatives building was already signed by the Speaker.

Salimbangon denied this saying, “he is not a squatter” for him to vacate his office.

In a press statement, Salimbangon said that the oath taking that was in the picture by Martinez was not an oath taking for Congress as it was only for the latter not to join opposition if he (Martinez) wins.

“Let them wait for the truth to come out. Remember, God is with us. He will not allow evil to flourish. The fight is still on so please (our supporters) do not despair. We are going to win this battle. Let us not allow evil to flourish,” the press statement added.

It can be recalled that the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal has declared Salimbangon as the winner in the congressional race during the 2007 elections.

But aggrieved with such ruling, Martinez filed a petition before the Supreme Court to set aside the ruling of HRET.

Last January 12, the Supreme Court en banc rendered a decision that Martinez won in the race against Salimbangon.

On January 14, Salimbangon filed a motion for reconsideration seeking for the reversal of the January 12 decision of the Supreme Court.

The Highest Tribunal however denied the motion for reconsideration of Salimbangon with finality the other day. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/NLQ   (FREEMAN NEWS)