Quimbo acting House budget panel chair after Co exit
Marikina City Rep. Stella Quimbo will serve as acting chair of the House committee on appropriations, the chamber announced on Tuesday following the resignation of Ako Bicol Rep Elizaldy Co from the powerful post, citing health reasons.
House secretary general Reginald Velasco said Quimbo, the committee’s senior vice chair, would take the helm until a permanent chair is designated.
In a statement, Velasco said that under Rule 9 Section 32 of the House Rules pertaining to vacancy and succession, “in case of absence or temporary incapacity of the committee chairperson, the highest ranking vice chairperson or the member whose name appears next in the list of committee members shall automatically assume the duties of the chairperson until such time that the latter returns to office and resumes work.”
“In case of a vacancy in the position of committee chairperson by reason of death, resignation, permanent disability, or removal, the vacancy shall also be filled by the Member next in succession in the committee list.”
On Monday, Co voluntarily stepped down as committee chair due to “pressing health concerns.”
“The highly demanding nature of my role has taken its toll, and I now need to prioritize seeking the medical attention necessary for my well-being,” he said.
Contentious budget
Co’s exit came at the conclusion of one of the most contentious budget deliberations in Congress in years.
He was responsible for shepherding the national budgets for 2023, 2024 and lastly the P6.326-trillion purse for this year.
Members of the opposition, civil society groups and governance experts had questioned various portions of the draft budget, particularly the version that came out after the bicameral conference committee.
After days of delay, it was signed by President Marcos on Dec. 30 last year, but with a veto on some line items worth P194 billion which he said were “not consistent” with his administration’s priority programs.
At the start of Monday’s session, the President’s lawmaker son, Rep. Ilocos Norte Sandro Marcos, the senior deputy majority leader, moved to declare the committee chairmanship vacant, drawing no objections.
Hours later Co, one of the closest allies of Speaker Martin Romualdez, the President’s cousin, issued a statement giving his reason for stepping down.
