AWARDING OF CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL BY JDV MISLEADING -- PIMENTEL

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Nene Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today questioned the practice of Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. of awarding congressional medals to visiting heads of state and of government, and other dignitaries, pointing out that the Senate has nothing to do with it.

Pimentel said to call it a congressional medal is tantamount to misrepresentation since although it is sanctioned by a resolution of the House of Representatives, there is no counterpart resolution from the Senate.

So as not to mislead, Speaker De Venecia should refrain from awarding so-called Congressional Medal of Achievement. Or he should just call it House of Representatives medal to be truthful, he said.

The Speaker should stop using congressional to describe the medal he has been awarding to whoever catches his fancy. The Senate in particular has not authorized such medal.

The latest to receive a Congressional Medal of Achievement from the House speaker was His Excellency, President Oblang Nguema Mbasogo of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea who is on a four-day state visit to the Philippines.

According to the accompanying citation, This Decoration is bestowed on behalf of the Filipino nation and in accordance with Resolution No. 453 of the House of Representatives, Congress of the Philippines.