The relentless yet unfounded red-tagging of cause-oriented legislators and progressive celebrities is another major reason for the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) stopping the implementation of the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (ATA).
Due to time constraints, the limited timetable set in the President’s call for a short four-day special session for the House to consider and approve the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) without further delay, and the insistence of some Senators for the House to submit soonest to the Senate the copy of the GAB, the House approved on second reading the GAB SUBJECT TO THE AMENDMENTS TO BE APPROVED BY THE SMALL COMMITTEE, WHICH COLATILLA NECESSARILY APPLIED TO THE APPROVAL ON THIRD READING.
Independent opposition Rep. Edcel C. Lagman said that “the disgruntled majority members who are identified with the ousted leadership cannot strengthen the authentic minority in the House of Representatives because they come with hurt egos and without ideology, conviction and commitment as oppositionists”.
I fully recognize the ratification in plenary session of the election of Rep. Lord Allan Velsaco as Speaker of the House of Representatives with an overwhelming mandate.
Even as I remain a member of the independent opposition or as an authentic minority Representative, I am ready to support Speaker Velasco’s policies and advocacies which will redound to the welfare of the Filipino people, particularly the disadvantaged and marginalized.
Although I am steadfast in my position that the term-sharing agreement which President Rodrigo Duterte brokered between then Representatives Alan Peter Cayetano and Lord Alan Velasco or what is also known as the “1521” deal must be honored and respected, I could not sustain the validity of the rump assembly held at the Celebrity Sports Plaza on October 12, 2020 wherein Rep. Lord Alan Velasco was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives for the following overriding reasons:
