House Speaker gives minority bloc committee chairmanship

By Lilybeth G. Ison

MANILA, July 30 (PNA) - House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Wednesday said he is giving the chairmanship of the ethics committee of the House of Representatives to a member of the minority bloc in order to be "transparent."

"For the first time, for the interest of transparency in the House, it is my intention to turn over the committee on ethics, which has something to do with the internal discipline of the House, to the minority," said Belmonte in an interview.

He, however, refused to name who will head the ethics committee.

House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman earlier said that Siquijor Rep. Orlando Fua may be nominated by the minority bloc as chairman of the House ethics committee.

He noted that Fua was among the most respected veteran lawmakers and top legal experts in the Lower House.

The House minority bloc is composed of 27 Lakas-Kampi-CMD members and two party-list representatives.

Belmonte said the minority bloc did not ask for any committee chairmanship.

"They never requested for this. They never requested a single one. Let me just make it plain that nobody requested anything. I offered this to the minority," he said.

Belmonte said they have yet to finalize the committee chairmanships.

"Basically, I would say 80 percent (completed). (By) next week, we will be able to complete the whole thing," he said.

The former Quezon City mayor said they are filling up first the standing and special committees.

He said the oversight committee, which was chaired by Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez for six years, has not yet been filled up "because we want to study their work and their function and so forth." (PNA)
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