PBA Partylist Rep. Margarita “Migs” Nograles, Lanao Del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong and 1Rider Partylist Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, members of the so-called “Young Guns” or the bloc of young lawmakers in the House of Representatives, answer questions from the media during a press conference at the House of Representatives Tuesday morning. Photo by VER NOVENO
Don’t look at us, we’re just mere congressmen
Lawmakers on brewing Senate coup:
LAWMAKERS from the House of Representatives called on their Senate counterparts to stop accusing them of orchestrating alleged moves to undertake a major revamp in the Senate leadership, since it’s almost impossible for them to do such.
“I would say that this would be suntok sa buwan na (a shot at the moon),” 1-Rider Partylist Rep. Rodge Gutierrez told a news briefing Tuesday. “I am surprised that there’s even such an allegation that the coup started from us.”
“According to the Senate, we are just mere congressmen here who are inferior to them. If that is the case, then it seems they are now giving us too much credit for us to have that kind of influence to meddle in the affairs of the upper chamber,” Gutierrez pointed out in response to a reporter’s question.
His fellow lawyer, Rep. Migs Nograles of partylist Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta, echoed the same sentiments, noting that why should House members be always blamed for whatever transpires in the Senate, when both co-equal chambers have their own separate internal rules.
“Why is it that when senators bicker, we always end up being the culprit? We don’t have anything to do with them in terms of their leadership. They have their own internal rules, we respect their rules, we respect who they want as their leader,” she told newsmen.
“So, why do they have to blame us and again, portray as the bad guys? If they are fighting among themselves, then let them be. We have nothing to do with the internal rules of the Senate and whoever they wish to keep with their leadership,” Nograles reiterated.
Lanao del Sur First District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong made the same remarks. “We respect the independence of our co-equal branch, the Senate. This is entirely up to the Senate. We are absolutely oblivious of the fact that there is a case, there is an issue going around Senate.”
“In fact this is entirely up to the majority in the Senate so we don’t know why they keep on tagging us every time there’s an issue coming up. We don’t know what went these past few days why the issue came out,” Adiong said.
