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By Maricel V. Cruz Reporter
A STAUNCH critic of the Arroyos
in the House of Representatives on Friday cried foul over the
“un-parliamentary” labeling by some administration congressmen
of his remarks on the appointments of Reps. Juan Miguel
“Mikey” Arroyo of Pampanga and Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo of
Negros Occidental as heads of two powerful committees in the lower
chamber.
Rep. Teodoro Casiño of the
left-leaning Bayan Muna defended his move to question in plenary the
decision of the majority to appoint the two Arroyos to sit as
chairmen of the Committees on Energy and of Natural Resources,
respectively.
“They [Arroyo allies] should
check the House journal before labeling my remarks
un-parliamentary,” Casiño said. I took to the floor precisely to
seek an assurance that the Arroyos’ elections are based on merit,
not on their family ties. But the majority refused to give that
assurance. Instead, they said a member has no right to raise such
questions simply because he’s from the minority. Now that’s
un-parliamentary,” Casiño said in a text message to The Manila
Times.
Arroyo supporter, Kampi Rep.
Rodito Albano 3rd of Isabela had earlier called the questioning of
the Arroyos’ appointment in planetary as un-parliamentary.
Albano, however, made the remarks
without naming or attacking Casiño.
Casiño said, “If Albano thinks
my remarks were un-parliamentary, he should move for the
reconsideration of the approval of [journal] then move to strike my
remarks from the records.”
Members of the House majority on
Friday also played down the fresh attacks by Dagupan-Lingayen Archbishop
Oscar Cruz and Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez on the election
by the House plenary of the two Arroyos to committee chairmanships.
They also called on the critical
prelates to abandon partisan politicking and focus instead on their
spiritual duties.
In a joint statement, APEC Reps.
Ernesto Pablo, chairman of the House Committee on Cooperatives
Development, and Edgar Valdez encouraged Church leaders to play
their role as shepherds of their flock but said that the politics of
majority representation should also be acknowledged by the prelates.
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