MANILA, Philippines – The House leadership began naming the lawmakers who will be replacing the ousted committee chairpersons following the vote on the controversial death penalty bill.

On Monday, May 15, Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas announced during the plenary session the first batch of lawmakers who now hold committee chairmanships:

• Mauyag Papandayan Jr, Lanao del Sur 2nd District – Muslim affairs
• Arnel Ty, LPG Marketers Association – natural resources
• Bernadette Herrera-Dy, Bagong Henerasyon – public information

Papandayan replaced Anak Mindanao Representative Sitti Turabin-Hataman, who is now just a member of the Muslim affairs committee. (READ: LIST: House committee chairmanships of the 17th Congress)

Ty replaced Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate, who has been named as one of the new vice chairs of the natural resources panel.

Dy, meanwhile, replaced ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio, who is now a vice chairperson.

Hataman, Zarate, and Tinio all voted against House Bill (HB) Number 4727, which gives judges the option to impose a life sentence or the death penalty on perpetrators of 7 drug crimes. (READ: LIST: How congressmen and women voted on the death penalty bill)

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said any House leader who would vote against HB 4727, abstain from voting, or be absent during the proceedings would be removed from their posts. 

The House then removed 11 committee chairpersons from their posts on March 15. Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was also stripped of her deputy speakership for saying no to the death penalty bill. 

It was under Arroyo’s term as president when the Philippines abolished the capital punishment in 2006. – Rappler.com