Published March 14, 2021, 3:17 PM
Deputy Speaker and Abono Partylist Rep. Conrado Estrella III on Sunday, March 14, assailed as “baseless and pure fake news” media reports claiming that Speaker Lord Allan Velasco is planning to oust Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez as majority leader of the House of Representatives.
Abono Party-list Rep. Conrado Estrella
(FACEBOOK / FILE PHOTO)
“Whoever has been spreading this fake news does not know Speaker Velasco. The speaker knows pretty much that the country must unite for a common purpose of fighting off COVID-19 and that this is not time for politics,” said Estrella.
“Our leader (Velasco) knows that we should be sending doves to our critics, not wolves, in order for us to join hands in addressing the COVID crisis and in saving Filipino lives,” stated Estrella, considered as among the well-respected statesmen in the Lower Chamber.
Defensor loses another House post
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 10) Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor lost another post at the House of Representatives, this time as vice-chairperson of the Committee on Legislative Franchises.
He was replaced by Zamboanga Sibugay 1st District Rep. Wilter Palma II.
The Committee on Legislative Franchises discusses matters relating to the grant, amendment, extension, or revocation of franchises.
Meanwhile, Palma was replaced as Deputy Majority Leader by Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Lorenz Defensor.
Quezon City 1st district Rep. Anthony Peter Crisologo was also elected as vice-chairperson of the Committee on Games and Amusement.
Published January 18, 2021, 10:06 PM
The House of Representatives leadership on Monday stripped of committee assignments two staunch allies of former speaker and incumbent Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano who helped him form the new political bloc BTS, an acronym taken from the popular K-pop group.
Rep. Mike Defensor and Rep. Lray Villafuerte
After BTS fans took offense to the group for allegedly “politicizing” the image of their idols, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco’s leadership also showed his displeasure by relieving Reps. Michael T. Defensor (Anakalusugan Partylist) and LRay Villafuerte (NP, Camarines Sur) of vice chairmanship assignments.
Defensor, who was recently sacked as chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts and Good Government, lost the vice chairmanship of five House panels – the Committees on Health, on Public Information, on Dangerous Drugs, and on Public Accounts.