IT will indeed be happy holidays for Zamboanga del Norte 1st District Representative, Romeo Jalosjos Jr. as his supporters gathered to show their solidarity against his removal from the roster of House of Representatives membership.
“Vox populi, vox dei. The voice of the people is the voice of God,” the tens of thousands of people in Dapitan City, shouted. It was Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers who first raised a parliamentary inquiry into the delisting of Jalosjos. He questioned both its legality and effectivity.
Barbers pointed out that it violates the constitution and other pertinent laws and was allegedly done by someone who should no longer be sitting as House Secretary General in the 19th Congress. Both Barbers and Jalosjos belong to the Nacionalista Party.
These days, it was the supporters of Jalosjos who voiced their disappointment at what had happened to their congressman. They ignored that some of them experienced flooding in their barangays the day before. They would rather come to have their sentiments be heard.
“Tinuod, nabahaan mi gahapon, pero nianhi gihapon mi ron kay lupig pay nabahaan kung wala na miy makuhang hinabang kung wala na si Congressman (Yeah, we got flooded, but we still came because it’s worse than getting flooded if we can no longer get aid from our Congressman),” said a tricycle driver from Barangay Sulangon, Dapitan City.
Jalosjos’ supporters started converging at Dapitan City’s Sunset Boulevard at around 7 am, then marched to the City Hall. There, they voiced their sentiments at the plight of their congressman. They came in their private vehicles, buses, bao-bao, and even habal-habal.
It is estimated that the crowd of supporters swelled to around 20,000 by the time they dispersed at noontime.