Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. has stepped down from his post as a member of the Commission on Appointments (CA) to assume a more independent role in Congress, the lawmaker said.
Garbin in a statement on Wednesday explained that his decision to leave the CA was not borne out of any disagreement or political rift, rather, it was due to a personal decision.
During Wednesday’s session, the House Majority elected Abono party-list Rep. Robert Raymund Estrella as a CA member, replacing Garbin.
‘After thoughtful reflection, I have decided to respectfully step down from my membership in the Commission on Appointments and to assume a more independent position in Congress. This decision comes from a place of personal conviction and continued commitment to public service-not from any form of disagreement, resentment, or political rift,’ Garbin said.
‘Public service has always been, for me, about responsibility, accountability, and honest engagement in nation-building. These values remain unchanged. Let me be clear: I have committed no wrongdoing, and I remain fully guided by the trust reposed in me by the people I serve,’ he added.
According to Garbin, despite his decision, he supports the House leadership and the Majority bloc.
‘I wish to emphasize that I will continue to support all programs, measures, and initiatives of the House leadership and the Majority that are genuinely beneficial to the Filipino people. I firmly believe that good governance transcends political alignment, and cooperation must always prevail when the public welfare is at stake,’ he said.
‘I will continue to help guide our organization in staying true to its original vision of advancing welfare-based programs for our less fortunate brothers and sisters.
I am not stepping away from my mandate. On the contrary, I reaffirm my full commitment to my duties as a legislator-guided by fairness, due process, and constructive participation in lawmaking,’ he added.
Garbin has faced some criticism over the past months due to his party-list’s association with former Rep. Elizaldy Co, who ran for Congress under the same banner. Garbin has defended Co several times amid allegations that the lawmaker was involved in the flood control corruption scandal, with a company linked to the latter being able to bag a huge amount of government contracts.
Last October 3, Garbin defended Co from Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s insinuations of corruption, noting that such allegations have not yet been proven in court.
Garbin said that while he respects Magalong’s views, the local chief executive should also be fair-as Magalong described Co by saying that he stole public funds during a Senate hearing on proposed budget reforms.
Garbin warned that Magalong’s statements may be considered as ‘justice that strikes before it hears’-which he believes is a ‘flawed system’ as public judgment is made ‘without proper consideration or hearing of all parties.’
‘Rep. Co’s resignation clearly shows delicadeza. He did this to ensure that there would be no influence or preference in whatever investigation that will be done against him,’ Garbin said.
Garbin also called out Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco, a staunch critic of Co. According to Garbin, instead of being fixated on Co, Tiangco should first check his own backyard, as a company owned by the Discaya couple was supposedly able to bag a contract for flood control projects in his district.
Garbin said that Tiangco’s call for transparency should start with his own district, noting that issues mentioned by the Navotas lawmaker involved funds that were not released.
Garbin was referring to the claims from Tiangco about his Ako Bicol colleague, former appropriations committee chairperson and Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, that the latter made over P13 billion worth of insertions in the 2025 national budget.
According to Garbin, some of the funds that Tiangco mentioned were not released, whereas the P529 million worth of alleged insertions in the flood control projects in Navotas were already downloaded to St. Timothy Construction Corp.-a firm owned by contractor-couple Pacifico ‘Curlee’ Discaya and Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya.
Aside from accusations of involvement in the flood control mess, Co was also accused of being part of a set of officials who made insertions into the 2025 national budget.
Last November, Co came out with a series of video statements wherein he accused past allies-former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.-of receiving kickbacks from a corruption scheme in the government’s infrastructure program.