TWO members of the House of Representatives officially resigned from their positions during the plenary session on Monday evening.
The departures involve 1‑Tahanan Party‑list Representative Nathaniel Oducado and Pinoy Workers Party‑list Representative Franz Legazpi, both of whom relinquished their seats in the lower chamber.
Notably, no explanation or background regarding their sudden resignations was presented or discussed before the body at the time the announcements were made, leaving the public and other members without immediate clarity on the circumstances or reasons behind their decision to step down.
Following the formal acceptance of their resignation letters, Deputy Speaker Yasser Balindong, who presided over Monday’s session, issued an official directive to House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil.
He ordered the immediate removal of both Oducado and Legazpi from the official roll of members, effectively acknowledging the vacancies created by their departure. This administrative step marks the formal recognition of their exit, updating the official records of the House and setting in motion the necessary procedures regarding their replacements in accordance with party‑list representation rules.
By Tuesday morning, May 19, the effect of the directive was already visible: the names, profiles, and listings of the two former lawmakers had been completely taken down from the House of Representatives’ official website and online directory.
The removal confirms that their tenure has officially ended, even as questions remain unanswered about what prompted their resignations. The House has yet to release any further details or clarifications, and it remains to be seen whether their respective party‑list organizations will name replacements to serve out the remainder of their terms in Congress.
