TUMIMBANG ang mga dating kasapi ng House of Representatives nitong Huwebes sa nagpapatuloy na sagupaan para sa speakership, kasama ang isa sa kanila na inilalarawan ang bangayan bilang “disgusting to the core” at ang “lowest of the low.”

Sa pamamagitan ng mga panayam at post sa social media, sinabi nina dating Rep. Terry Ridon, Raymond Palatino, at Loretta Ann Rosales na hindi sila nasisiyahan sa mga kaganapan sa kapulungan.

“When the Speaker resigns, it is a unilateral act that does not require the vote, acceptance, confirmation or rejection of Congress,” sinabi ni Ridon na kinatawan ang Kabataan Partylist ng dalawang termino sa Lower House.

“As soon as the resignation is made, there is no other act needed to be done for the resignation to be effective. Correspondingly, House rules state that upon resignation, an Acting Speaker should be elected,” paliwanag ni Ridon.

Maliwanag na hindi pinansin ang mga patakaran nang inalok ni Cayetano ang kanyang pagbibitiw noong Miyerkules. Sa halip na pumili ng isang acting speaker, nagpasya ang Kamara na magbotohan upang matukoy kung dapat payagan ang desisyon ng speaker na bumaba.

Kinagalitan ni Rosales, na nakumpleto ang tatlong termino bilang kinatawan ng ACT Teacher Partylist, sina Cayetano at Velasco sa pag-aaway sa nangungunang puwesto.

“The House of Representatives squabble over the speakership position is disgusting to the core. It is the lowest of the low,” banggit ni Rosales.

Ikinalungkot ng dating tagapangulo ng Commission on Human Rights na ang hindi pagkakaunawaan sa speakership ay kailangang mangyari “amid a pandemic that caused widespread hunger, unemployment and death.”

“Bitter quarrel over pork barrel allotments and leadership positions is bordering on the criminal,” idiin niya.

Sa kanyang panig, inakusahan ni Palatino ang mga pinuno ng Kamara na kapwa kaalyado ni Pangulong Duterte na “squabbling over pork projects.”

“Politicians are oblivious to the harsh social impact of the pandemic as they continue to fight over the speakership post in the House of Representatives,” sinabi ni Palatino na dati ring mambabatas ng Kabataan partylist.

Ang iba`t ibang mga grupo ay bumaling sa social media upang maipahayag ang kanilang opinyon tungkol sa isyu ng speakrrship.

Inilarawan ng Movement for Law and Justice ang kontrobersyal na pagboto nitong Miyerkules bilang isang “fantastic feat”.

“Oscar-winning acting though the script was badly written. We wonder if a resignation could be the subject on a vote to accept it or not,” sinabi ng MLJ.

Sinabi ni Deputy Secretary General Regina Tolentino ng College Editors Guild of the Philippines sa isang social media post: “The motion to resign was clearly a play in order to get the sympathy of the public.”

“House Speaker Cayetano knows that he would have a bigger vote because the lower chamber is filled with his co-cronies; thus, giving him the chance to stage this ploy,” isinulat ni Tolentino.

Sinabi ni UP Cebu Prof. Henry Francis Espiritu kay Cayetano: “Don’t offer to resign! Just resign!”