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| © Provided by GMA News Online |
The highest ranking House member of the Liberal Party admitted that they were hurt as another five of their former partymates moved to the administration party, PDP-Laban.
Deputy Speaker Miro Quimbo said it was “disappointing each time a party member leaves,” more so because they treat members “as family.”
“It’s like losing a brother or a sister,” Quimbo said in a statement just as 10 lawmakers were about to take their oath to enter PDP-Laban, leaving the former ruling party behind.
“It’s doubly more painful (sic), considering that those that have remained, including those who are leaving this afternoon, have been through a lot of trials already. Despite the difficulty of their situation, they decided to stay with the party. So that’s why it’s painful,” he added.
However, the deputy speaker said the party members had no choice but to understand their former party mates' decision considering the interests of their constituents and their chances in the 2019 midterm polls.
“They’ve been convinced that the best way to get re-elected is by joining the majority party. These are political realities that face many leaders,” Quimbo said.
Quimbo lauded those remained with the party, which has seen a big drop in its membership at the House after President Rodrigo Duterte succeeded LP stalwart former President Benigno Aquino III.
Among the newly-minted members of the administration party are the following former LP stalwarts:
- Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman
- Lanao del Sur Rep. Ansaruddin Adiong
- North Cotabato Rep. Nancy Catamco
- Quezon City 5th district Rep. Alfred Vargas
- Quezon City 2nd district Rep. Winnie Castelo.
All of them are part of the House supermajority, and voted for the controversial death penalty bill, a decision that went against their former party’s stand.
Their move to the ruling party leaves only 27 lawmakers in the LP House contingent, five of whom are in the independent minority.
The lawmakers added to the already formidable PDP-Laban at the House, which now counts 121 members as it leads a supermajority coalition in the chamber.
House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas indicated on Wednesday that more LP members were jumping to the ruling party, but refused to go into detail.
“‘Yung iba, susunod pa. Lima ‘yung nandito,” he said during the oath-taking. “’Yung iba, pino-process pa ‘yung application nila.”
Reasons for leaving
Hours before the oath-taking, Quezon City Rep. Kit Belmonte, LP secretary-general, confirmed with GMA News Online that Roman, Adiong, Catamco, and Vargas were indeed moving out of their party.
Castelo, who has been with LP the longest among the five lawmakers, was not part of their count.
Asked if he informed party leaders of his decision, the lawmaker said it was a work in progress, saying in jest that he only sought permission from his wife, the “speaker of the house.”
The new PDP-Laban members said they did this out of support for Duterte.
“It is clear that the people are supportive of the Duterte administration. As a representative, I have to heed to the wisdom of our people,” Vargas said in a statement, adding that he did it “for [his] advocacies and his constituents.
Roman, meanwhile, said she wanted to take the “opportunity” to unite in efforts to work for the country, saying, “the success of the president and this administration” is for the entire country.
The lawmaker, known as the first transgender woman elected to Congress, admitted that local politics “was one of the factors” for her move.
Reacting to LP leaders’ statements, she said: “Goodbyes are always sad.”
“Siyempre minahal ko rin sila at patuloy kong mamahalin, gaya ng pagmamahal ko sa lahat ng aking mga colleagues dito sa House,” she said.
“‘Di ko rin naman alam na masasaktan sila. Ako rin naman siyempre merong kalungkutan, and I thank them for wishing me all the best. Patuloy naman kaming magtatrabaho para sa ikabubuti ng bansa,” she added.
Meanwhile, Vargas said he wants to “contribute” in uniting the President and his party and Vice President Leni Robredo, LP’s interim chair.
Robredo is facing a possible impeachment bid, with two complaints against her seeking lawmakers’ endorsement.
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, PDP-Laban secretary-general, had threatened that he would look into filing an impeachment rap against her, following the release of her controversial video message for a side session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs annual meeting.
Alvarez confirmed this week that he has received the two impeachment complaints against Robredo.
Asked if he will endorse any of the two, the Speaker said he is still studying both raps.
About half of the LP House contingent had vowed to fight impeachment efforts against the Vice President, and declared non-support for the one filed against Duterte. —NB, GMA News
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