MANILA, Philippines — A party-list congressman was ousted by his group and dropped from the roll of lawmakers despite his call to wait for a final ruling of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET).
Amid his protestations on the floor, Rep. Eugene de Vera of party-list Arts, Business and Sciences (ABS) was stripped of his title as House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said the order was “ministerial” on the part of the House leadership.
“You cannot unseat me based on a letter,” De Vera argued, insisting that the HRET has yet to issue a ruling.
The letter came from the Comission on Elections, however. “The resolution states pertinently that Rep. de Vera, being a member of the House, is within the House’s jurisdiction and prerogative and covered by its rules and regulations,” Andaya said.
De Vera will be replaced by ABS’ second nominee Ulysses Garces.
His ouster stemmed from a letter ABS president Catalina Leonen-Pizarro sent to the House. She informed Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo about the decision of their board of directors to remove De Vera.