HOUSE Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman yesterday denied that he will be replaced as the leader of the opposition bloc when session resumes on January 16.

In a statement, Lagman stressed that the minority needs “a competent and experienced legal mind like him to continue challenging and combatting the Aquino administration’s propensity to trespass the rule of law, trample on the independence of the judiciary and transgress civil liberties.”

The Albay lawmaker said he would remain as “the House Minority Leader as an absolute majority of the Minority Members want him to continue his credible and responsible stewardship of the opposition.”

Lagman said that the term sharing agreement between him and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez “was limited to the Speakership in the event the then Lakas Kampi took the helm of the House of Representatives as documented and reported by tri-media in July 2010.”

“The agreement did not extend to the minority leadership because it would have sent defeatist signals from a party fighting for the Speakership,” Lagman added.

The Minority Leader from Bicol clarified that “the alleged opposition caucus last December 2011 adverted to by Suarez did not decide on a change of leadership and opted not to take a vote due to the absence of many opposition members who were not previously informed of the impromptu meeting and the prevailing consensus not to bring the issue to a vote.”

Lagman claimed he has also been hailed by his colleagues for asserting and defending the independence of the legislature in the budget process and policy making.

Lagman said he has been recognized for articulating alternative and critical views on the relevant issues like good governance, human rights, rule of law, agrarian reform, the budget and the economy.

Lagman is the chairman of the Lakas CMD and vice president of Centrist Democrats International (CDI), a worldwide organization of Christian and Muslim political parties.

He is a six-term representative and used to chair the committees on appropriation, justice, agrarian reform and overseas workers affairs.

Earlier, Suarez clarified that the revamp effecting  the minority’s top post has nothing to do with the continued unreleased priority development assistance funds (PDAF) or pork barrel of five of their colleagues.

Suarez said that the leadership change is about honoring their gentleman’s agreement with  Lagman who served the first 18 months of the 15th Congress as leader of the opposition bloc.

During a meeting before last Christmas, Suarez disclosed that he and Lagman were asked by their colleagues in the opposition to leave the conference and were just informed later about the collective decision for a leadership change.