By Ben Rosario
Dejected after giving up a congressional seat to become President Rodrigo Duterte’s mouthpiece, former presidential spokesman Harry Roque is crawling back to the arms of the Kabayan Partylist and allegedly wants to be one of its nominees in the 2019 elections.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque
(YANCY LIM/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) In a press statement authorized by Kabayan Partylist Rep. Ron Salo, the partylist organization appeared unprepared to embrace Roque back to its fold as nominee, saying that the former lawmaker should have applied first as a member of the partylist organization. Roque and Salo were the original Kabayan Partylist members but became fiercest enemies and fought over various issues later. The two made moves to unseat each other as both claimed having the partylist group’s support for retention as its nominee. “We were not surprised on receiving a feeler through a member of our board on the desire of former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque to be a nominee of KABAYAN Partylist in the 2019 elections,” the Kabayan statement read. “We are quite pleased that Mr. Roque considers the value of KABAYAN Partylist, even at this very late hour,” said the partylist organization. It added,” Unfortunately, Mr. Roque is no longer a member of KABAYAN Partylist as he was removed in January 2017.” According to the statement, Roque and Jesse Hermogenes Andres, another applicant for nominee, b0th sent feelers. However, Kabayan stated that Roque and Andres will not qualify as nominees unless they are first accepted as its members. “It insisted Roque was no longer a bona fide member, as he was removed in January 2017 by the Board of Trustees backed by Rep. Ron Salo during the height of an intra-party dispute,” said the Kabayan statement. Salo, claiming to have the backing of the Kabayan board of trustees, had insisted that Roque was expelled from their group over his sexually-charged questions during the congressional inquiry into the New Bilibid Prison drug trade that targeted now detained Senator Leila De Lima. Roque ignored the board’s directive as he disputed the validity of Kabayan’s constitution and by-laws. The issue came to a resolution welcomed by both parties when Roque accepted Duterte’s invitation to be his spokesman. His decision was borne out of his reported intention to run for senator and become a member of Duterte’s senatorial lineup. However, the relationship started to sour when Duterte tersely told Roque that he cannot win a senatorial election. The president later denied statements Roque issued to the media about his health and whereabouts, thus, triggering the spokesman’s resignation. Kabayan said it will name Salo and newly-installed Rep. Paul Hernandez as its first and third nominees for 2019. Hernandez was recently appointed congressman following the death of Roque’s replacement, Rep. Ciriaco Calalang. Named as second, fourth and fifth nominees of the partylist group are Peter Anthony Abaya, former general manager of the Philippine Reclamation Authority, Noemie Bustamante and Jennis Nidea.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque(YANCY LIM/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) In a press statement authorized by Kabayan Partylist Rep. Ron Salo, the partylist organization appeared unprepared to embrace Roque back to its fold as nominee, saying that the former lawmaker should have applied first as a member of the partylist organization. Roque and Salo were the original Kabayan Partylist members but became fiercest enemies and fought over various issues later. The two made moves to unseat each other as both claimed having the partylist group’s support for retention as its nominee. “We were not surprised on receiving a feeler through a member of our board on the desire of former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque to be a nominee of KABAYAN Partylist in the 2019 elections,” the Kabayan statement read. “We are quite pleased that Mr. Roque considers the value of KABAYAN Partylist, even at this very late hour,” said the partylist organization. It added,” Unfortunately, Mr. Roque is no longer a member of KABAYAN Partylist as he was removed in January 2017.” According to the statement, Roque and Jesse Hermogenes Andres, another applicant for nominee, b0th sent feelers. However, Kabayan stated that Roque and Andres will not qualify as nominees unless they are first accepted as its members. “It insisted Roque was no longer a bona fide member, as he was removed in January 2017 by the Board of Trustees backed by Rep. Ron Salo during the height of an intra-party dispute,” said the Kabayan statement. Salo, claiming to have the backing of the Kabayan board of trustees, had insisted that Roque was expelled from their group over his sexually-charged questions during the congressional inquiry into the New Bilibid Prison drug trade that targeted now detained Senator Leila De Lima. Roque ignored the board’s directive as he disputed the validity of Kabayan’s constitution and by-laws. The issue came to a resolution welcomed by both parties when Roque accepted Duterte’s invitation to be his spokesman. His decision was borne out of his reported intention to run for senator and become a member of Duterte’s senatorial lineup. However, the relationship started to sour when Duterte tersely told Roque that he cannot win a senatorial election. The president later denied statements Roque issued to the media about his health and whereabouts, thus, triggering the spokesman’s resignation. Kabayan said it will name Salo and newly-installed Rep. Paul Hernandez as its first and third nominees for 2019. Hernandez was recently appointed congressman following the death of Roque’s replacement, Rep. Ciriaco Calalang. Named as second, fourth and fifth nominees of the partylist group are Peter Anthony Abaya, former general manager of the Philippine Reclamation Authority, Noemie Bustamante and Jennis Nidea.