Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. was officially ousted from his seat and replaced by Davao City Rep. Prospero Nograles as the new speaker of the House of Representatives shortly before 1 a.m Tuesday.
The voting to declare the speakership post vacant ended with 174 congressmen voting in the affirmative as opposed to 35 negative votes for the motion to declare the speakership as vacant. Sixteen were counted as abstentions.
The votes totaled 225. According to the House Website (www.congress.gov.ph), there are 240 sitting congressmen.
Shortly after the lengthy nominal voting, de Venecia resigned to his fate and recommended his replacement.
"I am sure that our dear friend and colleague, one of the outstanding leaders of this country and of this house… I propose him to become our next speaker: Speaker [Prospero] Boy Nograles," said de Venecia.
The proposal was sealed when the lawmakers agreed to close the nomination of Nograles.
