Ecleo, Pacquiao, Arroyos top absentees at House

MANILA, Philippines - Dinagat Island Rep. Ruben Ecleo, world boxing idol and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao and three members of the Arroyo clan topped the list of lawmakers incurring the most absences in the 285-member House of Representatives in 2011, records from the chamber showed.

Ecleo, who has a standing warrant of arrest issued in February last year by the Sandiganbayan for a graft case, had the most absences. He attended only eight sessions out of the total 59 session days from Jan. 17 to Dec. 15.

He filed notices of absences for the 45 session days, saying he was on official local business, while the rest of his absences had no excuses.

Ecleo, the “supreme master” of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association, was suspected of killing his third wife, Alona Bacolod, whose decomposing body was found in 2002.

House Secretary-General Marilyn Barua-Yap said Ecleo remains in the roster of the House because he has not been convicted with finality.

Davao del Norte Rep. Anthony del Rosario placed second with 34 session days absent, with all but one with official notices filed with Barua-Yap’s office.

Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo ranked third with 33 absences. He is reportedly on medical leave in London   for a liver ailment.

Pacquiao ranked fourth with 32 absences without official notices. However, most of his absences were due to his boxing bouts abroad.

Ang Galing Pinoy party-list Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo was absent for 26 session days while his mother former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo attended only 35 session days last year or incurring 24 absences.

Mrs. Arroyo, however, filed formal notices of absence due to medical reasons. She posted perfect attendance prior to undergoing three surgeries on her neck to correct misaligned cervical spine in July and August last year.

She has not yet fully recovered from her ailment and is currently detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City for alleged electoral sabotage.

Among those with perfect attendance were Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo, a son of the former leader.

Others with perfect attendance were Representatives Edcel Lagman (Albay), Pedro Acharon Jr. (General Santos), Irvin Alcala (Quezon), Jorge Banal (Quezon City), Leopoldo Bataoil (Pangasinan), Mary Mitzi Cajayon (Caloocan), Winston Castelo (Quezon City), Kimi Cojuangco (Pangasinan), Enrique Cojuangco (Tarlac), Rachel del Mar (Cebu), Salvio Fortuno (Camarines Sur), Roilo Golez (Parañaque), Neptali Gonzales II (Mandaluyong), Teodorico Haresco Jr. (Ang Kasangga party-list), David Kho (Senior Citizens party-list), Isidro Lico (Ating Koop party-list), Eleandro Jesus Madrona (Romblon), Florencio Noel (An Waray party-list), Jesus Emmanuel Paras (Bukidnon), Romero Federico Quimbo (Marikina), Pedro Romualdo (Camiguin), Raden Sakaluran (Sultan Kudarat), Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso (Cagayan), and Mariano Michael Velarde Jr. (Buhay party-list).

According to Section 70 of the House Rules of the 15th Congress, the following are deemed present: members who are attending committee meetings as authorized by the committee on rules, in accordance with Section 35 hereof, upon written notification to the Secretary-General by concerned committee secretary; members who are attending meetings of the Commission on Appointments; members who are attending meetings of the House Electoral Tribunal; members who are attending meetings of the bicameral conference; and members who are on official mission as approved by the Speaker.