Nograles vows to defend new lawmakers from critics

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Prospero Nograles on Saturday said he is ready to protect and defend the rights of all members of the House of Representatives including controversial in-coming party-list Reps Jovito Palparan (Bantay) and Ma Lourdes “Lulu" Arroyo (Kasangga).

Nograles made the statement after incumbent militant lawmakers led by Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo declared that they won’t stop until Palparan and Arroyo are disqualified from seating in the House of Representatives.

Militant lawmakers have said Palparan, a retired Army general, does not deserve a seat in Congress due to his alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances of militant activists.

Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza called the entry of Palparan and (Lulu) Arroyo, sister-in-law of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, as a mockery of the party-list law that is intended to protect and advance the rights of the marginalized sectors of society.

“The proclamation of Lulu Arroyo and Gen. Jovito Palparan as party-list representatives shows the shameless bastardizing of the party-list system by Malacañang. Since when did they represent the marginalized and underrepresented sectors?" Maza asked.

But Nograles stressed that it is his duty as the leader of the House to defend and protect all members of the chamber who were elected by the people and proclaimed by Comelec.

“The news about any move to disqualify general Palparan et al may not have any legal basis at the moment, why? They all have been proclaimed by the Comelec and I will administer their oaths and include their name in the roster of the House," Nograles said in his text message.

“The law is clear, once proclaimed, only the House has exclusive jurisdiction to remove any member of the chamber. (Bayan Muna Rep) Ka Satur (Ocampo) and his group may have already forgotten that even as the majority leader once upon a time…the leadership refused to let him go despite all charges filed against him including warrants of arrest," he added.

Lulu Arroyo will be the fourth Arroyo in the House. She joins presidential sons Reps. Juan Miguel “Mikey" Arroyo (Pampanga), and Diosdado “Dato" Arroyo (Camarines Sur) and brother, Ignacio “Iggy" Arroyo (Negros Oriental). - GMANews.TV