House Shakeup: Media Misses Meaning of Minority Power

WHO IS the real minority?

Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s installation as House Speaker on July 23 saw her long time supporters appointed quickly to key positions: Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. (1^st district, Camarines Sur) as the new majority leader, Romeo Prestoza, former head of Presidential Security Group as sergeant-at-arms and retired General Dante Roberto Maling as secretary general. The last two served administrative functions.

The identification of the House minority leader, however, has remained in limbo at press time with three groups in competition: the group of Rep. Danilo Suarez (3^rd district, Quezon), the minority leader  during the Alvarez’ speakership, the group of Rep. Eugene de Vera (ABS party-list) backed by Alvarez and Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas (1^st district, Ilocos Norte), and the Liberal Party and Makabayan bloc. Of the three, only the latter is considered as independent from or “opposed” to the ruling PDP-Laban coalition.

These details, including new heads of various committees, were reported in primetime newscasts and even in print, with little reference to the meaning of what sets them apart from one another.

CMFR reviewed coverage in broadsheets (Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, Manila Standard, BusinessMirror, BusinessWorld) and primetime newscasts (ABS-CBN 2’s TV Patrol, GMA-7’s 24 Oras, TV5’s Aksyon, CNN Philippines’ News Night including GMA News TV’s State of The Nation with Jessica Soho) on July 30 and 31.

Factual Inaccuracy

Accounts of the struggle to hold minority power in most of the broadsheets on July 31 as well as the TV newscasts monitored were all in agreement about the status of the contest at the time. But The Star said the lawmakers voted in plenary for Rep. Suarez (see summary of headlines and details on house minority below).

Reacting to The Star’s banner story, a Twitter user tagged CMFR, saying that the representatives are still debating on the issue of house minority. Rep. Teodoro “Teddy” Baguilat Jr. (Lone district of Ifugao) took a photo of the Star’s banner story and tweeted: “Pls check ur facts. Walang botohan na nangyarisa minority floor.”

TV newscasts monitored did not err in noting that the minority leadership is in limbo.

Unfortunately, the reports did not delve much into the importance of the minority leader or the role to be played by the minority group. Typically, the 17^th Congress saw the flight of most members of the House and Senate to join the majority coalition led by those who campaigned under the banner of the party of the winning candidate for the president – the PDP-Laban. Even members of the Liberal Party itself which was the party of the failed presidential candidate Mar Roxas declared their affiliation with PDP-Laban. In 2017, the LP group expressed reservations about their being part of the House majority, after then Speaker Alvarez removed some of the LP members from committees because of they voted the restoration of the death penalty.

Cheers to the following exceptions: 

TV5’s Aksyon’s explainer on July 30 “EXPLAINER | Minority Floor Leader” looked into the House Rules which only specify who the majority are but are silent on the minority. Anchor Ed Lingao also discussed the ideal role of minority is check and balance in Congress.

This 17^th Congress adopted rules which determine the constitution of the majority as those voting for the speaker of the House, with no reference to their affiliation to the ruling parties or coalition of parties. The failure to specify who belongs to the minority leads to the logical conclusion that it would be representative who did not vote for the speaker in power.

Unfortunately, there were no media reports about how the different members actually cast their votes, as later reports were limited only to the election of Arroyo as speaker. The session in the house was not covered live.

A report aired in CNN Philippines’ News Night referred to Rep. Edcel Lagman (1^st district, Albay) who said the minority leader and deputy leaders are important because they can attend and have voting powers in important committees like Appropriation, Ways and Means and in Bicameral Conference Committee. He added that it is important that the recognized minority bloc is given to those who will make sure proper checks and balances are in place (“At least three groups claim to be house minority bloc”).

State of the Nation with Jessica Soho called attention to the same point as reporter Tricia Zafra also described the voting powers given to the minority leader along with the deputy leaders (“Rep. Atienza, hinamon si Rep. Quimbo na labanan nito ang minority leader”).

Given the House rules, no one expects the majority to share its control with real opposition or political groups who would be ready to check the power exercised by the majority. From the start, the role of the opposition was doomed by its small number, the seven representatives who in July 2016 stood apart for their independent stand. At the time, the Left party-list groups were still happy with President Duterte and the Liberal Party simply wimped out of its role.

So the fight for the minority role may be just the jockeying for power within the ruling coalition, a shake-down of sorts to remove Alvarez from authority and to diminish his authority over the members. That represents perhaps a fight that extends outside of the House, given the role of the presidential daughter and mayor of Davao, Sara Duterte.

Both Alvarez and Arroyo belong to the ruling coalition; but this coalition has broken up into two factions with the take-over of Arroyo, giving rise to a three-cornered contest for the leadership of the minority. The LP and the left, which were traditionally on opposite sides of the spectrum have come together. If anything, the shakeup is indicative only of the cracks in the wall of the once-touted supermajority.

The media should also point out how the recent shift of power does not necessarily indicate the emergence of a real minority bloc that can open up legislative debate and discussion as well as check political moves toward absolute power for some.