By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Bayan Muna Partylist Representative said he will be writing the Guiness Book of World Records to register the Arroyo family’s feat so that they can be recorded side by side with former dictator Ferdinand Marcos who is listed as one of the world’s biggest looters alongside his wife Imelda who had 3,400 pairs of shoes.

Casino in the web said this is one worthy of the world book of records. He said that for two straight congresses, the 14th and 15th, the members of the Arroyo family are taking four seats in the House of Representatives. Casino said this is possibly the most number of seats in a parliament ever to be occupied by a family.

In the 14th Congress, Gloria Arroyo had four reliable dynasty members in the Lower House in her sons Mikey Macapagal-Arroyo, (2nd District Pampanga) and Diosdado “Dato” Macapagal Arroyo, (1st District Camarines Sur), and in-laws Iggy Arroyo (5th District, Negros Occidental), and Ma. Lourdes Arroyo (Party-list Ang Kasangga).

Casino said that while former Rep. Ma. Lourdes Arroyo opted not to be nominated by her party-list group, for the 15th Congress, the words garapal and swapang is redefined by former Pres. Gloria herself. “She took the seat of son Mikey, Reps. Dato and Iggy won their re-election bids. Mikey becomes a party-list representative of security guards and tricycle drivers. Thanks to the block-headed logic of the COMELEC that clearly favors the Arroyo dynasty, we again have four members of the Arroyo bloc in Congress,” said Casino.

The congressman said that there is no such record yet of a family having multiple seats in the congress in the Guiness World Records. Casino said this will probably be the first. He dubbed it as the world’s biggest family bloc in congress: the Arroyo family.

According to Casino, this is the current prime example in Congress of an unconstitutional existence: an in-your-face political dynasty with the former President, two sons and a brother-in-law as legislators. “ Despite this certain garapalan by Gloria, this should be addressed by the 15th Congress. We will re-file our anti-dynasty bill to include prohibiting multiple seats in Congress,” added Casino
Casino cited Article 2, Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution states that “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.” # nordis.net