Neophyte congressmen are rallying behind Rep. Augusto Syjuco Jr. (LAMP, Iloilo), who is seeking the position of deputy speaker for the Visayas vacated by newly installed Majority Leader Eduardo Gullas.
The fight for the post is now between Syjuco and Rep. Erico Aumentado (LAMP, Bohol), chairman of the ethics committee.
A third candidate, Rep. Allen Quimpo (LAMP, Aklan), withdrew from the race last week in favor of Aumentado.
Neophyte lawmakers said yesterday they cannot accept the argument that the Bohol congressman has the edge over their candidate simply because key House positions are given to third-termers like Aumentado.
"The bottomline is parity. The old doctrine of seniority no longer holds," said Rep. Rolex Suplico (LAMP, Iloilo), leader of the so-called Group of 20 composed of Visayas and Mindanao congressmen.
He said first-termers should be allowed to hold leadership posts since they comprise two-thirds of the members of the larger chamber of Congress.
"We respect tradition but also want tradition to respect our equal rights. Seniority is not the end-all, be-all. It is just one of the criteria for leadership," Suplico added.
He pointed out that because the House is tradition-bound, some of its more experienced members are under-utilized.
He cited the specific cases of Representatives Ernesto Herrera (LAMP, Bohol) and Heherzon Alvarez (Lakas, Isabela) who cannot hold higher House posts.
A third-term congressman, Luis Asistio (LAMP, Caloocan), supported the neophytes' clamor for parity.
He said the chamber's leadership should give every member a crack at key positions "if we want more capable governance."
Speaker Manuel Villar Jr. called members of his majority coalition to a caucus next week to elect Gullas' successor.
Gullas took over from Rep. Manuel Roxas II (LP, Capiz), who has been appointed by President Estrada as secretary of trade and industry.