By Raadee Sausa October 10, 2020 Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano The ...
October 10, 2020
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| Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano |
The Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) decried the removal of Rep. Angelina “Helen” Tan of the 4th district of Quezon as chairperson of the House Committee on Health.
“This is unprecedented and in clear disregard of the House Rules, parliamentary courtesy, and tradition,” the NPC said as it accused Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano of being behind the move.
Rep. Jack Duavit of Rizal, head of the NPC contingent in the Lower House, said Cayetano not only violated rule and tradition, he also “compromised if not derailed” the legislative accomplishments of the Lower House when he and his allies scuttled plenary deliberations on the proposed 2021 national budget and pursued its second reading approval.
The passage of the budget measure has been the object of numerous protests as it was done during a virtual plenary session that prevented oppositors from airing their objection to the move.
Cayetano’s moves were reportedly calculated at preventing the group of Rep. Lord Allan Velasco of Marinduque from pursuing a vote of no confidence on the speaker and pursue the eventual rise to the speakership of Velasco.
Tan, earlier said she would like to hear from Cayetano why she was removed from her post and found out her removal through social media.
Tan was the latest committee chairperson to be removed in the escalating power struggle in the chamber as lawmakers approved on second reading the P4.5-trillion 2021 national budget upon Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano's motion.
"Personally, I did not see any reason why I was stripped from my post as a chairman on the committee on health because I was confident that I performed very well on my duties and responsibilities. So, I want to hear from Cayetano's mouth what and why is the reason I was replaced without due notice. I am not a delinquent person who uses position for political reason," Tan said.
"No one [told me], I was shocked. I cannot think of any way I would be removed because I'm working quietly on the committee on Health. Out of all of the House leaders removed, I may be the most surprised as to why I was removed," she said.
She said she had hoped to call for the return of some of the health department's slashed funds.
"They give us little time to interpellate and now they removed it," Tan added.
"We are always in support of the immediate passage of the budget but that was the only right we could exercise at this time," she said.
Members of the NPC are being suspected by the Cayetano group as among those who are supportive of Velasco’s bid to become speaker.
In fact, Duavit and fellow NPC stalwart Rep. Mark Enverga of Quezon were among the handpicked Velasco supporters who accompanied the Marinduque lawmaker in a meeting with President Duterte and Cayetano’s group where the 15-21 term sharing for the speaker was discussed.
1Pacman Partylist Rep. Mikee Romero and AAMBIS OWA Rep. Sharon Garin, who were also in the Velasco team during the Malacañang caucus, were also stripped of their positions as deputy speaker and chairperson of the Committee on Economic Affairs, respectively.
Besides Tan, Cayetano also caused the relief of another NPC solon, Rep. Eric Martinez of Valenzuela, as chairman of the House Committee on Youth and Sports.
“Rep. Tan, a medical doctor, has consistently proven her worth as Chairman as shown by her impressive accomplishments in the previous and up to the present Congress as she played a key role in the passage of important laws geared towards the improvement in the delivery, accessibility and affordability of health care to every Filipino , one of which is the Universal Health Care Law,” said Duavit.
The NPC official also added “Yet, despite these sterling achievements, she became one of the early casualties caught in the political squabble and struggle over the Speakership.”
According to Duavit, committee chairmanships are based on party allocations to ensure their role and representation in the collective efforts to push for legislation to uplift the lives of the Filipinos.
“It has been a time-honored tradition that the replacement of a Committee Chairmanship shall be the nominee of the political party of the outgoing committee chairman who resigns, dies or is incapacitated to perform the functions as Chairman of a Committee,” he explained.
Duavit said they were informed that Tan was booted out because she was too “disente” or decent, apparently to kowtow to the Cayetano group.
For his part, Cayetano, earlier said "So let me assure you for as long as you can work with us on the budget, you can keep your post. But kung mamumulitika kayo and gagamitin 'nyo 'yung posisyon 'nyo to destablize the House, decency naman."
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