Bago tinapos ang sesyon ngayong gabi, idineklara ng bakante ang puwesto ni dating Pangulo at ngayon ay Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo bilang House deputy speaker.
Kasama sa idineklarang bakante ang chairmanship ng House committees on Civil Service and Professional Regulation na hawak ni Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos; Government Reorganization na hawak ni Batanes Rep. Henedina Abad; Muslim Affairs na hawak ni Anak Mindanao Rep. Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman; on Natural Resources na pinamumunuan ni Carlos Isagani Zarate; on Overseas Workers’ Affairs ni Mariano Michael Velarde Jr.; on People’s Participation ni Akbayan Rep. Kaka Bag-ao; on Poverty Alleviation ni Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus; on Public Information ni ACT Rep. Antonio Tinio; on Women and Gender Equality ni DIWA Rep. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar at on Special Committee on Land Use ni Quezon Rep. Kit Belmonte.
“I move to declare vacant the position of deputy speaker for Central Luzon,” ani House majority leader at Ilocos Norte Rep. Rudy Farinas na ang pinatutungkulan ay si Arroyo.
Inanunsyo naman ni Farinas ang pagiging chairman ni Cebu Rep. Ramon ‘Red’ Durano bilang chairman ng House committee on Basic Education and Culture. Pinalitan niya si Sorsogon Rep. Evelina Escudero.
Sa Mayo inaasahang iaanunsyo ng liderato kung sino ang ilalagay sa bakanteng puwesto.
Inalis ang mga ito dahil sa hindi pagboto pabor sa death penalty bill na isinusulong ng Duterte government.
Sa isang pahayag, sinabi naman ni Arroyo na naintindihan ni Pangulong Duterte ang kanyang posisyon sa isyu.
“I thank the President for his expression of understanding late last year regarding my position on the issue. I also thank the Speaker for the honor of having served as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. It meant much to me. As a plain Congresswoman I will continue to do all I can to support both President Duterte and Speaker Alvarez,” ani Arroyo.
Sinabi ni Arroyo na malaking konsiderasyon ang kanyang konsensya sa kanyang pagboto ng laban sa panukala.
“The issue of the death penalty is unlike any other, in that it touches the core of each person’s fundamental view of human life. I believe that the issue required a vote based solely on conscience and the deepest of personal convictions. Thus, despite my support for President Duterte and Speaker Alvarez, I voted against House Bill No. 4727,” dagdag pa ng dating pangulo.
Si Alvarez ay kalihim ng Department of Transportation sa ilalim ng Arroyo government.
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