Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte has vouched big time for neophyte solon Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos, saying the latter is "even more knowledgeable" than his more seasoned peers.
“Having worked with him for three years as Speaker Martin’s protege prior to Sandro’s election as congressman, I can honestly say that Sandro is even more knowledgeable about how the Congress works than some of our peers on their second or third terms—and is certainly qualified to be our senior deputy majority leader,” Villafuerte said in a statement Thursday, July 28.
The Bicolano was referring to the time when Marcos worked as legislative staff of Romualdez when the latter was majority leader in the previous congress.
“Speaker Martin (Romualdez), who was then-majority leader, assigned Sandro to work with me in the sponsorship of the annual budgets of certain government offices and in the passage of Bayanihan 1 and 2, of which I was the lead author in the House,” Villafuerte said.
“We had burned the midnight oil together on countless occasions on these major pieces of legislation and that’s where I had observed first hand his dedication to his job and his evolving keen grasp of the legislative process. My staff can attest to Sandro’s dedication to his job as he had worked with us on then-pending measures at my Batasan office often until the wee hours," he added.
The presidential son was recently designated as senior deputy majority leader, despite his being a first-time congressman. Some sectors have questioned this move from the House leadership.
But Villafuerte insisted that Marcos's neophyte status won't be a hindrance to the performance of his duties.
"Sandro’s excellent grasp of how the legislative process works in the Philippine Legislature and his striking familiarity with practically all lawmakers in the House who have been here since the past two Congresses easily obscure his status as a first-time legislator, and has earned him the right to his current post with the unanimous support of the super majority coalition,” Villafuerte said.
“I myself could vouch for these two attributes that are likely to make Sandro excel as a senior deputy majority leader in the 19th Congress," he said.