Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. (Facebook)

House Committee on Human Rights Chairman Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. called on his colleagues to be “calm and collegial” amid debates about confidential funds. 

Abante says that his experience in Congress made him realize that “it is possible to disagree without being disagreeable". Noting that because of conflicting advocacies, lawmakers are often resolute in their positions. 

"But even in our most intense debates there should always be room for comity and collegiality,” Abante said in a statement, Tuesday, Oct. 17. 

This comes after the House of Representatives denounced statements made by former president Rodrigo Duterte, who recently threatened to kill Makabayan bloc member, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro on the subject of confidential funds. 

Duterte also alleged that House has unlimited “pork barrel”. He even urged Commission on Audit (COA) to take a look into the chamber’s spending of public funds. 

The former president’s tirades were triggered by the House’s decision to realign P1.23 billion in confidential funds from to enforcement agencies patrolling and securing the West Philippine Sea (WPS). P650 million of the realigned funds came from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd). 

Both OVP and DepEd are under Vice President Sara Duterte, the ex-president's daughter. 

A close ally of the elder Duterte, former presidential spokesman Harry Roque, recently labeled the confidential funds realignment as a “politicized move”. Kabayan Party-list Rep. Ron Salo deemed Roque’s remark as “highly inappropriate and baseless”. 

Abante stressed that all voices deserved to be heard and respected. However, he insists that the House should “act as one” and prioritize the interests of their constituents. 

"It is always preferable and always more productive to dial up dialogue and dial down divisive rhetoric when we deliberate on the issues that concern our people," the veteran lawmaker said. 

“Our foremost duty as public servants is to the Filipino people, and it is incumbent upon us to rise above personal and political divides to prioritize their welfare and the nation's advancement,” he added. --Dexter Barro II