- Harlin Abayon has been escorted out of the House of Representatives plenary session
- He failed to be reinstated as the duly-elected representative of Northern Samar despite an SC ruling
- He says this is the first time this has happened to a House member even if there is an SC decision
Unseated Northern Samar First District Representative Harlin Abayon was ordered out of the House of Representatives plenary hall after he was not reinstalled in his congressional seat on the last day of Congress on Monday, June 6.
Abayon, escorted by the House Sergeant-at-Arms, exited the session hall on the order of Deputy Speaker Giorgidi Aggabao, a GMA News Online story said.
Upon exiting, the ousted lawmaker faced the media, showing a copy of the Supreme Court (SC) ruling that “immediately” executes his reinstitution as duly-elected representative of the province’s first district.
“This is the first time that a member of the House of Representatives was ousted although there’s a decision of the Supreme Court,” he was quoted in the same GMA News Online story.
Abayon said he received a copy of the SC decision last May 30 when Congress proclaimed President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President-elect Leni Robredo.
He then raised the issue that same day why was he not called in the roll call of House members during the start of the official canvassing of votes.
The House leadership said they have not received a copy of the ruling in formal writing that is why Abayon remained to be ousted at the time.
But Abayon claimed it would have been not possible for the House secretariat to not receive a copy of the decision when he received his on May 30.
Abayon also lamented that his opponent, Raul Daza, during the time the House of Representatives Electoral tribunal (HRET) released their decision, was immediately sworn into office.
“They immediately allowed my opponent to assume office and take his oath notwithstanding my certiorari case before the SC,” he said.
And stressed: “From the very beginning, I am not a member of the Liberal Party, my opponent is a member of the LP.”
Daza, who lost to Abayon in the 2013 congressional race, filed an electoral protest against him. HRET favored Daza. Abayon was ousted but SC overturned the decision.
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