PBA Party-list Rep. Margarita "Migs" Nograles defended the election of Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos as senior deputy majority leader, saying the latter deserves the position and is capable of performing the duties that come with it.
This, after Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel of the Makabayan bloc assailed Rep. Marcos's election and claimed that the latter only gained his position because he was the son of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Jr.
Rep. Marcos, Nograles, and Manuel are all neophyte House members in the 19th Congress.
"I beg to differ on the claim of Rep. Manuel that Rep. Sandro Marcos only got his position because of his last name and because he is the son on the President. Rep. Marcos has worked with former majority leader, now Speaker Martin Romualdez, and is equipped with the knowledge of the House rules and certain rules of procedure, more than most if not all neophytes," Nograles said, who like Rep. Marcos is a member of the House majority bloc.
"Rep. Marcos was elected, overwhelmingly and unanimously, by the majority as their senior deputy majority leader. It is clear that the majority has spoken and has full faith, trust, and confidence that Rep. Marcos will do well in his position because he is qualified for that position with both his educational and work background," she said.
"Surely, Rep. Manuel as the voice of the youth cannot claim that a neophyte like himself cannot do a good job in a position Rep. Marcos is indeed qualified for. As a lawyer, I can personally attest to Rep. Marcos’s deep grasp of the House rules and procedures (even more than I)," admitted the lady solon.
"I hope Rep. Manuel, as part of the minority bloc, will respect our choice in the majority as we respect their decision making processes as well," Nograles further said.
Gaining the senior deputy majority leader post placed the 28-year-old Rep. Marcos in the Committee on Rules, which is among the most powerful committees in the House of Representatives.
The rules panel is headed by majority leader and Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Mannix Dalipe.