Zamboanga del Norte — Zamboanga del Norte First District Representative Romeo Jalosjos Jr. disclosed that he is still waiting for the Legal Affairs Department of the House of Representatives to respond to the questions raised against the power of the Secretary-General to remove a duly elected and proclaimed congressman from the House’s official roster.
In a letter letter to Deputy Secretary General Atty. Annalou S. Nachura, Jalosjos sought a written answer to the clarificatory questions raised in the plenary last 15 December 2022, by fellow Nacionalista Party member Surigao del Norte Rep Robert Ace Barbers to his removal from the House membership.
“This representation respectfully seeks a written answer to the foregoing parliamentary inquiry as this affects the status of my membership, in view of resolving the seeming gaps in the interpretation of the Constitution and the Rules of the House of Representatives so as not to set an erroneous precedence for the future House members,” said Jalosjos in the letter dated 23 December 2022.
“Despite the clarity of the provisions of the Constitution and the Rules of the House, this representation and the constituency of the 1st District of Zamboanga del Norte continues to be deprived of our right to representation in the august halos of the legislature due to the illegal deletion of my name in the roll of members when my proclamation is put in question,” added Jalosjos “I do not intend to discount the competency of the Legal Affairs Department and the Committee on Rules. However, sound and faithful interpretation of the Constitution and the Rules of the House of Representatives dictates that I am a bona fide Member of the House of Representatives in the 19th Congress,” he added.
“I implore the Congress to uphold its mandate to its members and constituents without partiality and to reinstate this representation in the Roll of Members for the 19th Congress.” Barbers, in his parliamentary inquiry, asked if the secretary general elected who was elected by members of the previous 18th Congress can hold office beyond the constitutional term of Congress that elected him/her, and “by what constitutional or legal authority did he exercise his being a de facto secretary general or beyond 30 June 2022?” the lawmaker said.