ROQUE
Kabayan Partylist Rep. Herminio “Harry” Roque will continue to refuse to vacate the seat in the House of Representatives after he was ousted as member of the partylist.
He said only Congress has the right and power to unseat him.
“Ako po ay nananatiling kongresista dahil tanging kongreso lang naman ang makakatanggal sa nakaupong kongresista,” Roque told reporters during a roundtable discussion on Friday morning at a mall in Mandaue City.
(I will remain a congressman because on the House has the power to remove a sitting congressman.)
Roque, admitting that he is involved in an intra-partylist dispute, said he has filed a petition before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) questioning his expulsion from the Kabayan Partylist and will wait for the process to take its natural course.
Roque said he will continue to discharge his duties as a congressman while waiting for the results of the petition.
In a statement released last Tuesday, the Kabayan Partylist cited “loss of trust and confidence” and “an overwhelming call among Kabayan Party-list members and supporters” as the reasons for Roque’s removal as their representative in the Lower House.
“The Board found Harry Roque’s behavior, acts, and statements as severely damaging to the Party-list,” the statement read. “Harry Roque’s continued stay with Kabayan Partylist is inimical to its interest and long-term sustainability as a principled partylist.”
But Roque said he believed that the reason for his ouster was because of his “steadfast questioning” on Ronnie Dayan, Sen. Leila de Lima’s former bodyguard and lover, during the Nov. 24, 2016 Senate inquiry on the proliferation of drugs in the Bilibid prison.
“I don’t regret my questioning, I don’t regret asking the Senate to kick her out. I repeat my call to the Senate to kick out a senator who benefited from drug money in order to be elected into office,” Roque said.
The congressman is in Cebu today to turn over a P2-million assistance to Barangay Tinago, Cebu for the completion of its mulitpurpose center.