Solon seeks answers on extravagant House ‘junket’

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño is insisting that the leadership of the House of Representatives to explain why an unusually sizeable number of its members are on the President’s entourage in Europe.

“I am demanding an explanation from the House leadership why 34 congresspersons are part of the President’s entourage to Spain, France and the United Kingdom,” Casiño said.

The militant solon earlier expressed shock at the big number of House members with no conceivable official duty to do as legislators on the controversial trip.

“There are only four questions that the leadership has to answer comprehensively: (1) what was the basis for the inclusion of so many House members on this trip? (2) how were they chosen? (3) what is their role in the trip?; and (4) how much was spent and who paid for it? The House leadership should furnish the public answers to these questions immediately,” Casiño said.

So far, House Speaker Jose de Venecia has said that not a single cent was spent by the chamber.

“That disclosure does not answer any of the four questions. The people have every right to know and eventually hold their representatives accountable for what appears to be an extremely unnecessary and extravagant abuse of privilege. We need answers. We want them today,” Rep. Casiño said.

Casiño, along with other solons, plan to file a resolution later today directing the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to investigate the matter. Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño is insisting that the leadership of the House of Representatives to explain why an unusually sizeable number of its members are on the President’s entourage in Europe.

“I am demanding an explanation from the House leadership why 34 congresspersons are part of the President’s entourage to Spain, France and the United Kingdom,” Casiño said.

The militant solon earlier expressed shock at the big number of House members with no conceivable official duty to do as legislators on the controversial trip.

“There are only four questions that the leadership has to answer comprehensively: (1) what was the basis for the inclusion of so many House members on this trip? (2) how were they chosen? (3) what is their role in the trip?; and (4) how much was spent and who paid for it? The House leadership should furnish the public answers to these questions immediately,” Casiño said.

So far, House Speaker Jose de Venecia has said that not a single cent was spent by the chamber.

“That disclosure does not answer any of the four questions. The people have every right to know and eventually hold their representatives accountable for what appears to be an extremely unnecessary and extravagant abuse of privilege. We need answers. We want them today,” Rep. Casiño said.

Casiño, along with other solons, plan to file a resolution later today directing the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to investigate the matter. Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño is insisting that the leadership of the House of Representatives to explain why an unusually sizeable number of its members are on the President’s entourage in Europe.

“I am demanding an explanation from the House leadership why 34 congresspersons are part of the President’s entourage to Spain, France and the United Kingdom,” Casiño said.

The militant solon earlier expressed shock at the big number of House members with no conceivable official duty to do as legislators on the controversial trip.

“There are only four questions that the leadership has to answer comprehensively: (1) what was the basis for the inclusion of so many House members on this trip? (2) how were they chosen? (3) what is their role in the trip?; and (4) how much was spent and who paid for it? The House leadership should furnish the public answers to these questions immediately,” Casiño said.

So far, House Speaker Jose de Venecia has said that not a single cent was spent by the chamber.

“That disclosure does not answer any of the four questions. The people have every right to know and eventually hold their representatives accountable for what appears to be an extremely unnecessary and extravagant abuse of privilege. We need answers. We want them today,” Rep. Casiño said.

Casiño, along with other solons, plan to file a resolution later today directing the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to investigate the matter.