Oca: Solons jumped to PDP for positions

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

REPS. Maximo Rodriguez Jr., Peter Unabia, and other congressmen had to immediately join the political party of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte in order to secure positions in the Lower House, Mayor Oscar Moreno said over the weekend.

Moreno, a former Misamis Oriental congressman, said this even as he pointed out that the move had nothing to do with loyalty to political parties.

“Dili man ingon nga tungod kay nagbalhin ka, nabalhin na usab ang imong loyalty,” said Moreno.

Rodriguez, Unabia, and many other congressmen were sworn into the PDP-Laban in May 24.

Rodriguez, who represents Abante Mindanao, would be replacing his elder brother Rufus as congressman in the city’s 2nd District next month. He ran for congressman here under the Centrist Democratic Party (CDP) that supported Davao Mayor Duterte’s successful presidential bid.

Unabia, who served as Liberal Party (LP) chairman for Misamis Oriental until he joined the PDP-Laban last week, will be serving his third and last office term as representative of the province’s 1st District.

Moreno said it would not be fair to take it against the congressmen, stressing out that there were other considerations pertaining to public service that made the lawmakers decide to joing the next administration party.

“The chairmanship of House committees–that is one of the reasons why congressmen decide to leave their parties in order to join the administration,” he said.

Moreno said he was aware of this because he served as congressman for two office terms. He said there was a big difference between an “ordinary congressman” and a representative who chairs a House committee.

“Ang committee chairman, automatically, you are entitled to more allocation for manpower support. Kung dili ka committee chairman, unom ra ka empleyado ang imong allocation plus na-a ka pay secretariat,” he said.

Moreno said he expected many congressmen to join the PDP-Laban after it became clear that Duterte won in the presidential race. He said he was not surprised to learn that Unabia and Rodriguez took their oath as PDP-Laban members.

“Kanang pagbalhin sa PDP-Laban, expected kana sa legislative branch kay siyempre  gusto sa Presidente nga ang legislative branch will be supportive,” he said.

Moreno also said congressmen would also need to be on the side of the next Speaker in order to have a chance at becoming committee chairman.

“Unless you vote for the winning Speaker,  you cannot be chairman. Kinsay nagbotar sa Speaker boot pasabot nga nakuha niya ang mayorya kay lisod man kaayo nga nagbotar ka sa napilde nga Speaker unya mahimo kang chairman. Kinsa may mobotar sa imong pagka chairman?” he explained.

But Moreno also pointed out that it would be unlikely for congressmen serving their first office terms to become committee chairmen. Such positions, traditionally, are given to senior congressmen or those serving their second or third office terms.

“Si Congressman Unabia, being a third termer, he is entitled to become a chairman. Kung first term ka palang, ayaw sad ug dahom nga mahimo kang chairman,” said Moreno.