House leaders vs death penalty to be replaced in May

Mara Cepeda

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House leaders vs death penalty to be replaced in May
(UPDATED) On possibly losing support after the House reorganization, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez says, 'Well if I'm burning bridges, then so be it'

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said he will be replacing all House leaders who did not vote in favor of the death penalty when session resumes in May.

“Siguro pagbalik na namin from the break. Hindi makakalimutan [‘yan] because we asked the respective parties to submit their nominees for the replacements,” said Alvarez in a chance interview on Wednesday, March 15.  

(We will do it perhaps when we return from the break. We won’t forget that because we asked the respective parties to submit their nominees for the replacements.) 

The Speaker had said that all deputy speakers and committee chairpersons who would be voting no, would abstain from voting, or be absent during the 3rd reading of the death penalty bill would be stripped of their leadership titles

Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and 11 committee chairpersons were later ousted from their leadership posts during the session on Wednesday evening. Arroyo, who said no the measure, abolished the death penalty when she was still president.

Lawmakers approved House Bill Number 4727 on 3rd and final reading last week with a vote of 217-54-1. (READ: LIST: How congressmen and women voted on the death penalty bill

The 17th Congress will be going on a Lenten break from March 18 to May 1. They will be resuming session on May 2. 

“Well, if I’m burning bridges, then so be it. Wala tayong magagawa diyan (We can’t do anything about that),” said Alvarez.

He said, however, that he will be “reasonable” enough to consider valid reasons of House leaders who were absent. 

The 217 lawmakers who voted in favor of HB 4727 already said they will give Alvarez their “full support” whatever he decides on the replacements. 

Apart from Arroyo, the following committee chairpersons said no to HB 4727:

  • Kaka Bag-ao, Dinagat Islands (people’s participation committee)
  • Jose Christopher Belmonte, Quezon City 6th District (land use special committee)
  • Evelina Escudero, Sorsogon 1st District (basic education and culture committee)
  • Emmi de Jesus, Gabriela Women’s Party (poverty alleviation committee)
  • Vilma Santos-Recto, Batangas 6th District (civil service and professional regulation committee)
  • Sitti Turabin-Hataman, Anak Mindanao (Muslim affairs committee)
  • Antonio Tinio, ACT Teachers (public information committee)
  • Mariano Velarde, Buhay (overseas workers affairs committee)
  • Carlos Zarate, Bayan Muna (natural resources committee)

Occidental Mindoro Representative Josephine Ramirez-Sato, a member of the House contingent to the Commission on Appointments (CA), voted against the death penalty as well.

Davao del Norte 2nd District Representative Antonio Floirendo, another CA member, skipped the proceedings.

The following committee chairpersons were also absent during the vote: 

  • Henedina Abad, Batanes (government reorganization committee)
  • Emmeline Aglipay-Villar, DIWA (women and gender equality committee)
  • Robert Ace Barbers, Surigao del Norte 2nd District (dangerous drugs)
  • Amado Espino Jr, Pangasinan 5th District (national defense and security)
  • Delphine Lee, AGRI (ethics and privileges)

– Rappler.com

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Mara Cepeda

Mara Cepeda specializes in stories about politics and local governance. She covers the Office of the Vice President, the Senate, and the Philippine opposition. She is a 2021 fellow of the Asia Journalism Fellowship and the Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship of the UN. Got tips? Email her at mara.cepeda@rappler.com or tweet @maracepeda.