Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) yesterday denied that he had the third most number of absences in the House of Representatives as of November 18, while Rep. Julio Ledesma IV (Neg. Occ., 1st District), who was in first place, said he has been busy working for the good of his constituents.

A list of top absentee representatives posted on social network sites showed Ledesma in first place, followed by Agusto Syjuco (Iloilo, 2nd District) in second place and Ferrer in third.

In fourth place is Juan Miguel Arroyo (Ang Galing Pinoy), Ma. Valentina Plaza (Agusan del Sur, 1st District) – fifth, Ferjenel Biron (Iloilo, 4th District) – sixth, Seth Jalosjos (Zamboanga del Norte, 1st District) – seventh, Juan Ponce Enrile Jr. (Cagayan, 1st District) – eighth, Anna York Bondoc (Pampanga, 4th District) – ninth and Emmanuel Pacquiao (Sarangani) – tenth.

However, Ferrer said the list of the top 10 absentees was not based on official records of the House and may have just been tabulated and posted by private citizens.

I am questioning the accuracy of that list, he said, adding he will ask for an official report from the House.

Meanwhile, Ferrer said that President Benigno Aquino III has signed into law, his proposed bills creating two more court branches in Bago and La Carlota cities in his district.

Ledesma, on the other hand, said he has been busy creating entities and instrumentalities to ensure that the property his family is putting up for voluntary offer to sell under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program will be self determining and perpetuating for the communities that benefit from it.

“Whatever is needed to this end I am doing, this is more important to me than my attendance as these are the people who elected me to represent them in Congress,” he said.

This exercise is prime and relevant because CARPer, as is, will fail and so I believe I’ve found ways to mitigate and amend the law to ensure its success, he said.

“This is the capstone of my life’s work,” he said.

When we are done, all our beneficiaries will be millionaires, and something like 1,000 new homes will be constructed, he added.*CPG

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