MANILA – Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman will remain the leader of the minority bloc in the House of Representatives, belying reports that House Deputy Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez will take over starting this year.
Lagman, present chairman of Lakas-Kampi Party, said minority insiders believe that the opposition needs a competent and experienced legal mind like him to continue challenging the Aquino administration.
When he ran for speakership in the 15th Congress, Lagman said a term-sharing agreement was agreed upon between him and Suarez, but this was limited to the speakership in the event the Lakas-Kampi won its bid to head the Lower Chamber.
Lagman lost to Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of the Liberal Party.
He said the term-sharing agreement with Suarez did not extend to the minority leadership because it would have sent defeatist signals from a party fighting for the speakership.
Lagman also said the opposition caucus last month, intended to decide the new opposition leader in the House, did not push through and members did not agree to a vote.*PNA
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