JDV urged to discipline truant lawmakers

Speaker Jose de Venecia should help solve the problem of truant members at the House of Representatives so as not to derail the passage of important bills, congressional leaders said yesterday.

House Deputy Majority Leader Antonio Cerilles said De Venecia must appeal to lawmakers "who seem not interested in attending sessions regularly."

"The Speaker should compel lawmakers to attend to their legislative duties regularly," he said. "Since the Constitution talks of equality rule then that should also apply to House members."

Cerilles and Deputy Speaker for Mindanao Gerry Salapuddin insisted it was about time the House leadership "crack the whip on truant congressmen who failed to perform their primary task of overseeing legislation."

Imposing punitive and decisive measures on absentee House members would earn Speaker De Venecia "more respect among his colleagues and help the House regain the public’s trust and respect," the two lawmakers added.

Cerilles said the House should adopt the policies followed in provincial and municipal councils, where a councilor can be "replaced or removed upon incurring a number of absences in sessions."

"This should also be applied to members of Congress since nobody is above the law," he said.

"There should be equality in the application of the law. Absentee House members should likewise be punished or disciplined for being remiss in their legislative duties," Cerilles said.

Salapuddin said punishing truant lawmakers is not solely for media mileage, but rather is a move aimed at "reforming" non-performing legislators whose primary task is to craft laws, not just to attend to the concerns of their constituents.

"These chronic absentees are further eroding our image," he said. "It is unfair that the entire House is being dragged down in the process. "It’s about time that we do something concrete to discipline the members which will also help change our institution’s image.

"Absentee members are plaguing the chamber, effecting legislative work at the expense of our very mandate."

Salapuddin added this was the reason why Congress holds session only from Mondays to Wednesdays, to give the lawmakers ample time to visit their districts and attend to the problems of their constituents.

"We can do away with marathon sessions and save funds if only we have a quorum all the time," he said. "This way, we can also avoid allegations of railroading pieces of legislation."

A lawmaker’s primary duty is to pass laws, he added.

Cerilles cited the usual problem in the House where the majority coalition always faces censure from the minority or members of the opposition whenever there is a quorum problem.

"The opposition will question the quorum anytime," he said.

"Without a quorum, the important business of the House leadership will always be delayed if not given appropriate attention by the congressmen."