A PETITION was filed before the Supreme Court (SC) challenging the minority leadership of Quezon Rep. Danilo E. Suarez in the House of Representatives.
Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo C. Fariñas Sr. and his allies also asked the Court to declare ABS Party-list Rep. Eugene Michael B. de Vera as the rightful minority leader.
Named respondents were Suarez, House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Majority Leader Rolando G. Andaya Jr. Fariñas insisted that de Vera should be recognized as the minority leader after most of Suarez’s bloc “abandoned” the minority by voting for Arroyo during the leadership change at the lower chamber on July 23. Suarez himself voted for Arroyo as Speaker.
The petitioners quoted House Rule II Section 8: “Members who vote for the winning candidate for Speaker shall constitute the Majority in the House and they shall elect from among themselves the majority leader.”