MANILA, Philippines — If the incoming House leadership will not handpick the chamber’s minority leader, Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman said he is willing to gun for the position “to represent the authentic and responsible opposition.”“If the House leadership and supermajority will not install their handpicked minority leader, then I will be available to represent the authentic and responsible opposition,” Lagman, a member of the Liberal Party and leader of the opposition and independent “Magnificent 7” bloc in the House, told INQUIRER.net when asked if he is interested in the minority leadership. “A real and responsible opposition will not only assure a democratic legislative process but will also restore the credibility of the House of Representatives,” he added. Meanwhile, Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda earlier expressed his belief that the House minority leader need not come from the opposition. “This selective and discriminatory stance augurs the anointment by the supermajority of the next minority leader, a practice reminiscent of the 17th Congress where the leader of the so-called opposition was twice handpicked by the House leadership,” Lagman lamented. READ: Castro seeking guidance on minority leadership bidADVERTISEMENT/kgaRead NextLATEST STORIESMOST READ

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 15, 2019 06:22 UTC