MANILA, Philippines — The group of ousted speaker Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (Davao Del Norte) was accepted into a "minority" bloc of the House of Representatives, according to a letter made available on Tuesday.
In a letter to Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Rep. Eugene Michael De Vera (ABS Party-list) said that he had accepted the application of Alvarez, former majority leader Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas (Ilocos Norte), former deputy speaker Rep. Juan Pablo Bondoc (Pampanga), Rep. Reynaldo Umali (Oriental Mindoro) and 10 other former members of the majority to the House minority caucus.
"I have the honor to inform you that I have accepted the application of several members of the majority to the minority in the HOR (House of Representatives)," De Vera said in his letter to Arroyo dated July 26, 2018.
De Vera is listed on the House website as a deputy minority leader, presumably to Rep. Danilo Suarez (Quezon), who voted for Arroyo as speaker but also insists he did not vacate the leadership of the minority.
The other members of the majority who were accepted into the supposed minority bloc were Rep. Roger Mercado (Southern Leyte), Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez (Leyte), Rep. Johnny Pimentel (Surigao Del Sur), Rep. Rodito Albano III (Isabela), Rep. Joel Mayo Almario (Davao Oriental), Rep. Arnel Ty (LPGMA), Rep. Aileen Radaza (Lapu-Lapu City), Rep. Ruwel Peter Gonzaga (Compostela Valley), Rep. Manuel Monsour Del Rosario III (Makati City) and Rep. Mauyag Papandayan Jr. (Lanao Del Sur).
Before the letter's availability, Fariñas on Monday said on the House floor that they had applied to and been accepted into the minority by De Vera.
Factions battle for official minority status
The group of Alvarez and Fariñas is one of the three in the House contending to be recognized as the minority bloc in the chamber.
The House on Monday failed to resolve the issue on the real minority in the chamber.
A faction ledy by Suarez and another led by Rep. Romero Quimbo (Marikina City) are also claiming to be the chamber's minority bloc.
Rep. Teddy Baguilat (Ifugao) earlier Tuesday assailed The STAR for reporting that Suarez managed to keep leadership of the minority during Monday's session.
Baguilat, a member of the Liberal Party, said that no voting happened on the House floor on Monday.
Philstar.com is the online arm of the STAR Group of Publications, including The STAR.
De Vera assures Arroyo 'continued collaboration and cooperation'
In his letter, De Vera assured Arroyo of the minority's "continued collaboration and cooperation" to pursue the legislative agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Quimbo said that Suarez cannot be the leader of the minority as he and Rep. Lito Atienza (Buhay) supported Arroyo as the speaker of the chamber.
He said that all members of the minority who voted for Arroyo automatically became members of the majority bloc, a view shared by Fariñas.
Fariñas said that Suarez effectively "abandoned" the post of minority leader when he supported Arroyo.
The Ilocos Norte lawmaker said that De Vera should be recognized as the minority leader as he was the highest official of the minority who did not support Arroyo.
He also warned on Monday that he would elevate the matter before the Supreme Court if Suarez remains minority leader.
Rep. Alfredo Garbin (Ako Bicol party-list) and Atienza meanwhile argued that Suarez is still the minority leader.
Garbin said that the rules Quimbo was invoking could only be applied during the initial organization of the House and not to the succeeding elections for speaker.