Rep. Sato may lose CA seat if more Liberals defect

MANILA, Philippines — Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Sato of the Liberal Party may lose her seat on the Commission on Appointments if more of her party mates transfer to the administration’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Labas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, the House majority leader, said that based on the current number of members of the House, a party would be entitled to a seat on the CA if it has 24 members in office.

Fariñas said that if the number of LP House members goes below 24, the erstwhile administration party would lose its CA seat, which is currently held by Sato.

“Nandito pa yun, ang computation para maintindihan po ninyo, ang computation sa CA is based on party representation. So, I computed it, kailangan if any party has at least 24 members they are entitled to one seat,” said Fariñas, who was an Aquino ally during the previous administration but jumped ship to President Rodrigo Duterte's party upon his victory.

He said: “So, ngayon kung isang party ito, LP that you say pag may 32, ito ay entitled sila ng isang seat. Ngayon kung bumaba sa 23 iyon, wala na.”

The CA is considered a powerful panel because it can confirm, bypass or reject appointments made by the president. The current CA has already rejected the appointments of two former members of the Duterte Cabinet:  

Days ago, LP was hit by a series of defections. Five members of LP transferred to PDP-Laban, increasing the latter’s number to 121 in the lower House of congress. Several local government officials in Quezon City also took their oaths as PDP-Laban members.

This reduced the number of LP solons at the House to 28 from 32. At the height of its power during the presidency of Benigno Aquino III, LP had more than 100 members and the leadership of the House.

Turncoats are common in the Philippines, where the party system is weak and is not governed and organized based on clear ideologies and principles.

Philippine politicians jump from one party to another depending on the group in power, which wields enormous control over government projects and fund allocations.

“Kayo naman. Para kayong bagong bago sa pulitika, palapit na ang eleksyon. Mid-term election na ito. The president is the head of the PDP. Magkakaroon ng election sa 2019. Siyempre, yung iba diyan, nandun yung advantages of the party in power,” the majority leader said. “Pero mula nung nagkaroon tayo ng 1987 Constitution, whoever is the president, nandun ang gravitation.”

The House majority leader also hinted that more transfers from other parties may come as he emphasized that they were not intentionally targeting members of LP.

“Hindi naman kami kumukuha sa LP. Nag-aaply sila sa PDP. Eh kami naman nire-review rin namin, ang dami pa nga,” he said.