LAMENT
LEADERS of the House of Representatives have criticized what they described as the condescending tone of some senators towards congressmen, telling their Senate colleagues that they are co-equal as members of Congress.
They lamented that some senators know congressmen only during elections.
Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. said senators should not think that they are better lawmakers than congressmen just because they are collectively referred to as the “upper house.”
“There is no such thing in the Constitution. Walang nakasaad na lower house at upper house. Meaning to say, pare-parehas lang tayo. Baka sasabihin natin Lower House at Slower House… pero sa Constitution, walang lower house at upper house,” he said.
Deputy Speaker and Quezon 2nd District Rep. David Suarez said he was offended by the statement of some senators that House members should not compare themselves with senators.
“Sinabi ng ilang senador, hindi n’yo pwedeng ikumpara ang Senado sa Kongreso (House of Representatives). Bakit hindi, eh parehas po tayong bumubuo ng Congress. We’re a co-equal legislative branch. Just because ba they are elected nationally mas mataas na sila kesa sa amin?” Suarez asked.
“Kahit senador sila at congressman kami, pare-parehas lang naman po kami. Wag naman n’yo kaming sasabihan na nationally elected kayo, kami distrito lang, party-list lang kayo, mas marami ang boto namin kaysa sa inyo. Excuse me ha, bakit pagdating ng kampanyahan, sa amin naman kayo lumalapit at humihingi ng tulong ah. Kaso pag nanalo na kayo, iba na ang levels natin? Pare-parehas lang tayong Pilipino, pare-parehas lang tayong anak ng Diyos. Dapat respetuhan tayo sa isa’t isa,” he said.
He said it is those senators’ statements that “create divisiveness, discord and that go against the very nature of Bagong Pilipinas na ipinaglalaban ng ating Pangulo na magkaisa at magtulungan.”
For her part, Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman cautioned senators against being “judgmental.”
“Masakit kapag malinis ang hangarin mo pero pinaghihinalaan ka at pinaparatangan ka ng kahit anu-ano. Judgemental much. Di naman dapat ganun ano? Di lang naman kayo ang nagmamahal sa bayan. Di naman komo kayo senator at kami’y hamak na congressman lamang e ganun ho ang iisipin ninyo,” she said.
“Walang ganunan. Galangan lang po tayo. Nobody has an exclusive hold or a monopoly of love of country and respect for the Constitution. When you want to improve or level up the Constitution that doesn’t mean you don’t love the Constitution. We love the Constitution,” she said.
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