TUCP among 25 new partylist solons take oath

Cheers, boos greet Palparan

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) Twenty-five of the 32 new partylist representatives took their oath of office before Speaker Prospero Nograles at the House of Representatives session hall on Tuesday.

The 25 included retired army general Jovito Palparan of Bantay and Maria Lourdes Arroyo of Kasangga. The seven did not join the mass oath taking because they have yet to complete documentary requirements or were facing legal questions.

Cheers and boos greeted Palparan, who earned the tag “butcher,” due to allegations linking him to the murders and disappearances of left-wing activists.

Asked how he received from some members of the gallery, Palparan said, “I did not hear them.”

The Kasangga representative drew criticism for being the 4th member of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s family to serve in the current Congress.

“This is a place for debate… Di na labanang gyera. Tapos na ang trabaho sa gyera-gyera. Dito naman ay word war [This is not armed conflict. The job in war is over. Here, it’s word war],” Palparan told reporters before the oath-taking.

After the oath taking, Nograles suspended the session to allow the new House members to mingle with their colleagues.

Quezon City Representative Mary Ann Susano was seen posing with Palparan for a photograph.

The newly-installed party list representatives were: Lawyer Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna; Ulpiano Sarmiento III of A Teacher; Walden Bello of Akbayan; Cresente Paez of Cooperative-Natcco Network; Agapito Guanlao of BUTIL; Oscar Francisco of Alliance of Rural Concerns; Joel Maglunsod of Anakpawis; Ariel Hernandez of Anak Mindanao; Francisco Emmanuel Ortega of ABONO; Haron Omar of You Against Corruption and Poverty; Ceasar Cobrador of Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines; Neil Benedict Montejo of AN WARAY;

Teodoro Lim of UNI-MAD; Catalina Pizzaro of Arts Business and Sciences (ABS); Ranulfo Canonigo of Kapatiran ng mga Nakulong na Walang Sala (KAKUSA); Leonardo Montemayor of ABA-AKO; Godofredo Arquiza of Coalition of Associations of Senior Citizens in the Philippines, Inc.; Daryl Grace Abayon of Aangat Tayo; Estrela DL. Santos of Veterans Freedom Party; Pastor Alcover Jr. of Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy; Atty. Salvador Britanico of BANAT; Ma. Lourdes Arroyo of Ang Kasangga; Jovito Palparan Jr. of Bantay (The True Marcos Loyalist); Jonathan dela Cruz of ABAKADA Guro; and Raymond D.C. Mendoza of the Trade Union Congress Party. –Lira Dalangin-Fernandez, INQUIRER.net