The “election” of Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the “new Speaker” barely an hour before President Rodrigo Duterte was scheduled to deliver his third SONA at 4:00 PM on Monday, 23 July 2018 was a shameful sham.

It was “conducted” without a prior attendance call, without the official mace, without any rules, without any record or journal, with the instant nominal voting based on a mere directory of members and without a sound system.

Due to this irregularity, the delivery of the SONA was delayed for over an hour to resolve the issue on who shall preside on behalf of the House during the Joint Session.

There is a need for the House to conduct a legitimate election for a change of leadership in compliance with House rules if that is the wish of the majority.

EDCEL C. LAGMAN