MANILA, Philippines – The second nominee of the Marino party-list group in the House of Representatives has resigned from his party. 

Marino second nominee Jose Antonio Lopez, who formally tendered his resignation from the party-list group in a letter addressed to its board of trustees on July 5, has also been removed from the roster of House members. 

This was relayed to the House plenary by Marino Representative Carlo Gonzalez during the session on Tuesday, August 6.

Gonzalez, Marino’s first nominee, then asked the plenary that Lopez be removed from the roll of House members.

“Mr Speaker, in view of the foregoing and on behalf of the Marino party list, [I move] that the resignation of Representative Lopez be accepted by the House of Representatives and for Representative Lopez be dropped from the roll of the House. This is necessary in order to allow the 3rd nominee of our party to assume the position vacated by Representative Lopez,” said Gonzalez.

Based on the list that the organization filed with the Commission on Elections, Marino’s 3rd nominee is Carlo Pio T. Pacana.

Acting Majority Floor Leader Juan Pablo Bondoc then formally moved that Lopez be dropped from the list of House members. 

Deputy Speaker Conrad Estrella III, who was presiding over the session, then accepted the motion when no lawmaker opposed Bondoc’s motion.

According to Abante Tonite, Lopez has resigned from Marino after a disqualification case was filed against him by a certain Ruther Navera Flores, who accused him of being an American citizen. – Rappler.com