House leader laments ‘words like daggers’ of some senators

In a fiery display of parliamentary solidarity, House Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe on Saturday denounced the actions of certain senators, whom he did not name, for allegedly undermining the institution’s integrity and the collaborative efforts of Speaker Martin Romualdez.

“At a time when our nation beckons for unity and cooperative governance, it is immensely troubling to witness a select group of senators engaging in baseless attacks against the Speaker and our esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives,” said Dalipe.

“The Speaker, in a gesture of goodwill and with an unwavering commitment to our democratic principles, extended an olive branch to our counterparts in the Senate, signaling a readiness to collaboratively amend our Constitution through a Constituent Assembly. Yet, this earnest endeavor to fortify the pillars of our republic was met not with reciprocation but with betrayal, as certain senators opted to wield their words like daggers, aiming at the very heart of legislative camaraderie,” he added.

Dalipe underscored the importance of constructive dialogue and mutual respect.

“Respect begets respect. By undermining the House, the Senate not only sows discord within the halls of Congress but also risks alienating the representatives of more than 300 legislative districts, potentially losing their respect and cooperation, essential for any legislative body to function effectively,” he said.

“It is imperative that we mend the fissures caused by such unprovoked hostilities and realign our focus towards the monumental task of constitutional reform, in the spirit of cooperation and for the greater good of our country,” he added.

Romualdez earlier said the House will follow the lead of the Senate in effecting Charter amendments through a constituent assembly.

In a letter to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, he said the House will also leave it up to the Senate to take the lead in pursuing an alternative people’s initiative as another mode to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Romualdez said majority of the House members support the Senate-backed Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 6 that seeks to amend restrictive economic provisions through a constituent assembly.

The ongoing people’s initiative led by PIRMA proposes to amend the Charter with Congress voting “jointly.”

Zubiri, who received the letter yesterday, said the Senate will send its reply on Monday. — Maricel Cruz