(Eagle News) — The House of Representatives’ session on Monday, July 23, adjourned without the supposed ouster plot against Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez pushing through.
The adjournment took place after an hour’s suspension of the session, and amid the rumors Alvarez would be replaced by Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Arroyo was deputy speaker of the House before she was removed by Alvarez for her anti-death penalty stance.
“Hindi naman pumapayag na umalis si Alvarez,” Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin said in a television interview, adding that the Magnificent 7 in the House was for declaring the Speaker post vacant, but not for Arroyo to replace him.
He said they were vouching for Rep. Teddy Baguilat to assume the post.
It was Pampanga 4th District Rep. Juan Paolo Bondoc who moved for the adjournment of the session, with Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn Garcia approving the motion, even with Camarines Sur 1st District Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. trying to pose his objection to it.
Sara Duterte?
Villarin said it was Davao Mayor Sara Duterte who was behind what was touted to be the plot against Alvarez, saying the presidential daughter was still in the process of calling congressmen for the same.
He admitted, however, that he did not have a “direct line” to the presidential daughter, with whom Alvarez had a word war over her establishment of a regional party.
Alvarez had called her a member of the opposition over the move, but she said she had the President’s blessing.
Villarin said that with the adjournment, all measures in the House’s “order of business” would not be tackled, including the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
This means President Rodrigo Duterte would not be able to sign the measure into law before his third State of the Nation address slated at 4 p.m.
“We will resume by 4 p.m and that’s already the SONA of Duterte,” he said.
