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05 January 2011

          GMA and her constant travelling companions in her past foreign trips are plotting to replace Minority Leader Edcel C. Lagman with Quezon Representative Danilo Suarez.

          The former President and now Pampanga Representative called an emergency meeting in her hospital suite at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) last Wednesday night with Suarez, Rep. Martin Romualdez and Rep. Amelia Villarosa in attendance.

          Although Lagman is perceived to be an ally of GMA in the opposition, he is not a GMA stooge and does not succumb to her bidding.

          Lagman is known to have discarded press statements prepared by GMA propagandists which had been passed on as materials to the Minority in its regular Wednesday press fora.

          Lagman insists that his term-sharing agreement with Suarez was limited to the speakership if the then Lakas-Kampi would win the speakership, but did not extend to the minority leadership.

          The Bicol solon added that agreeing to share the term of the minority leader would have sent defeatist signals since Lakas-Kampi was fighting for the speakership.

           News accounts in July 2010 confirmed the limited extent of the agreement.

           Lagman has the confidence of an absolute majority of the minority members who had signed a resolution retaining him as minority leader for his “responsible and credible stewardship of the minority.”

           Minority insiders believe the opposition needs a competent and experienced legal mind like Lagman to continue challenging and combating the Aquino administration’s propensity to trespass the rule of law, trample on the independence of the judiciary and transgress civil liberties.

           GMA and her group are trying to convince the Lagman supporters not to honor their signatures.

           The Minority Leader from Bicol clarified that the alleged opposition caucus last December 2011 adverted to by Suarez did not decide on a change of leadership and opted not to take a vote due to the absence of many opposition members who were not previously informed of the impromptu meeting and the prevailing consensus not to bring the issue to a vote.

            Lagman has also been hailed by his colleagues for asserting and defending the independence of the legislature in the budget process and policy-making.

           He secured the release of the PDAF allocations for the districts of Suarez, Romualdez, Villarosa and Rep. Arthur Yap.

           Lagman has been recognized for articulating alternative and critical views on relevant issues like good governance, human rights, rule of law, agrarian reform, the budget and the economy.

           Lagman is the Chairman of Lakas CMD and Vice President of Centrist Democrats International (CDI), a worldwide organization of Christian and Muslim political parties.

           Lagman is a six-term Representative and used to chair the Committees on Appropriation, Justice, Agrarian Reform and Overseas Workers Affairs.