Lawmakers skip last session to join Russia trip

MANILA, Philippines — On the last session of the House of Representatives when the order of the day indicated that it was to tackle 79 proposed bills and 18 proposed resolutions, an undisclosed number of House members joined President Rodrigo Duterte on his official visit to Russia.

Among the lawmakers who joined the chartered flight with the President were Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and wife Lani; Majority Leader Martin Romualdez of Leyte, Deputy Speakers LRay Villafuerte of Camarines Sur, Representatives Ferdinand Hernandez of South Cotabato, Len Alonte-Naguiat of Biñan City and Abraham Tolentino of Cavite. —Melvin Gascon