A DAY after Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino Rep. Toby Tiangco of Navotas resigned as member of the majority in the House of Representatives to express his disgust in the railroading of the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona, one of the allies of President Aquino who is holding a sensitive and powerful committee in the House has been stripped of his chairmanship for not signing the complaint.

 Liberal Party Rep. Hermilando Mandanas of Batangas confirmed that he was informed on Wednesday that he is being stripped of his chairmanship of the House’s Committee on Ways and Means “because I did not do what the administration wants.”

“[I] was told that I will be replaced today [Wednesday] as chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means,” Mandanas told the BusinessMirror.

The committee deliberates all matters, directly and principally, relating to the fiscal, monetary and financial affairs of the national government including tariff, taxation, revenues, borrowing, credit and bonded indebtedness.

While allies of President Aquino in the Malacañang-controlled House denied that the relief of Mandanas has something to do with Mandanas’s not signing the complaint, Mandanas said he strongly believed otherwise.

Mandanas said he did not sign the complaint “because I found the complaint unacceptable.”

Lakas-Kampi-CMD Rep. Maria Milagros Magsaysay of Zambales, said that what the administration was doing not only to his perceived foes but also to its own allies only proved that a “de facto” martial law is taking place.

“Dito mo makikita na parang martial law po na pag hindi ka sumunod sa kumpas ng administrasyong Aquino, tanggal ka,” Magsaysay said.

On Tuesday, Tiangco, in breaking away with the majority, also relinquished the chairmanship of the House’s Committee on Metro Manila Development and being a member for the majority of several committees in the House.

In a privileged speech, Tiangco said he could not in conscience take what the proadministration legislators did when they railroaded Corona’s impeachment.

Tiangco made it clear that his act was not in support of Corona or former President Arroyo, saying that what is at stake is the integrity of the House.

Tiangco, a supporter of deposed President Joseph Estrada, is a staunch critic of Arroyo. Even though he earlier joined the majority in the House, he did not leave the PMP and jump to Liberal Party, just like what most of the former ally of Arroyo did when President Aquino won.

Tiangco said that when he joined the majority, he believed in the administration of Mr. Aquino and supported it. But what was happening in the political arena made him rethink his position.

“Hanga ako sa ating Pangulo na hinahangad ang matuwid na daan para sa bansa natin. I know for a fact that the President himself is an example of one who follows the laws of the land,” Tiangco told his colleagues as he narrated an instance where he saw Mr. Aquino stop at a red light.

“So, it seems inconsistent that a President who follows basic traffic rules would not want due process to be followed,” said Tiangco.

In the same privileged speech, Tiangco took a swipe at the Aquino administration for not respecting the decisions of the Court.

“Kung hindi po natin igagalang ang mga desisyon ng Supreme Court ay wala rin po tayong karapatan magdemanda,” Tiangco said.

House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman said he believed that there are more congressmen “who have conscience” will follow Tiangco’s actions and they may just be looking for the right timing.

As for the fate of Mandanas, the opposition also believed that more heads would roll in the ranks of proadministration legislators who did not sign the complaint.

Mandanas was replaced by his party-mate Rep. Isidro Ungab of Davao City.