Aumentado sets new Congressional record: 1st opposition House Ethics Committee chair
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MANILA. – Rep. Erico B. Aumentado (2nd District, Bohol) has
established a new record in the House of Representatives when he
was elected as the first opposition solon to chair the Committee on
Ethics which serves as “The Ombudsman” of the legislative body.
Aumentado’s election came after a meeting between Speaker
Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Minority Leader Edcel Lagman. Later,
Lagman informed the Bohol solon that his selection was a judgment
call of the Speaker who thanked Aumentado for accepting the
chairmanship.
In his text message to Aumentado, Belmonte said, “Everyone
feels you are a fair-minded person Eric. Especially me. Thanks for
accepting.”
In the over 100 years history of the House of Representatives, the
chairmanship of the Committee on Ethics was always given to the
majority administration congressmen because of the very sensitive
position which deals on all matters related to the honor and dignity of
the chamber and the members’ privileges.
It will be remembered that in 1999, the 2nd District legislator, as
chairman of the Committee on Ethics stood single-handedly to block
the resolution signed by 119 congressmen urging the Supreme
Court to allow then Cong. Romeo Jalosjos to attend all sessions in
Congress and committee hearings which, to Aumentado’s argument
against the resolution, was “a violation of the separation of powers
under the Constitution between the legislative, the judiciary and the
executive departments of government aside from infringing on the
equal protection clause of the Constitution as well as being highly
immoral.
After the marathon debate, many signatories to the resolution
withdrew their signatures and the resolution was defeated on the
floor.
Aumentado was also remembered by his peers both in the majority
and minority in standing for almost 12 hours – the longest in the
history of the House – to defend the national budget in his capacity as
vice chairman of the Committee on Appropriation.
The two records of the 2nd District solon catapulted him to the
position of Deputy Speaker in 2000 under the Speakership of Manuel
Villar, now senator of the republic. Speaker Belmonte was the
minority leader at the time, who later on became also a Speaker of
the House during the closing month of the 11th Congress.
Meanwhile, the 2nd District solon has been elected as member of the
powerful committees on Appropriations, Public Works and Highways,
Agriculture and Food, Basic Education, Tourism, Good Government
and Accountability. He is also a member of the Committee on Local
Government, Transportation and Natural Resources.
He is likewise expected to be elected to the Committee on Ways
and Means representing the minority and where his two bills on the
sin taxes on liquor, cigar and cigarettes to raise an additional about
P5.5 billion excise taxes for the PhilHealth universal coverage of
indigents, barangay captains, kagawads, secretaries, treasurers,
tanods, Lupong Tagapamayapa members, health and day care
workers. The sin taxes also are expected to generate more funds
for the Information, Communication and Technology program of the
Department of Education public elementary and high schools as well
as the hiring of new teachers and the construction of new school
buildings. (june s. blanco)
