From left: NDP MLA Ted Marcelino, Conservative MLA Jon Reyes, NDP MLA Flor Marcelino sparred during question period. (Facebook)
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Jon Reyes ’embarrassed” and apologized
Analysis
By Ted Alcuitas
A somber and emotional tribute for a murdered Filipino teen has turned into an ugly war of words for the three sitting Filipino members of the Legislative Assembly.
On April 10 , 2019, Logan NDP MLA Flor Marcelino rose in the House to pay tribute to 17-year old Jaime Adao, Jr. who died in a house invasion attack on March 3, 2019 while staying with his grandmother. The attacker who was shot by police survived and is now being charged with second-degree murder.
Jaime Adao, Jr.
Adao’s parents were in the House to observe the tribute to their son. The Adaos live in Marcelino’s riding of Logan.
The veteran legislator broke down while reading her four-minute speech during Question Period where she also called for the government to provide funds to hire more policemen and increase addiction treatment facilities.
Screen grab of Marcelino delivering her speech. (Youtube)
In a message to Philippine Canadian news.com , Marcelino says he doesn’t “see anything wrong with asking direct yet respectful questions to the government, nor taking the government to task for not responding timely and adequately to the addiction crisis that has resulted in several homicides, crime against property and deaths by overdose.”
But just as she continued her time for question period, St. Norbert Conservative MLA Ron Reyes was heard heckling her to “Sit down Flor”. Opposition House Leader Nahanni Fontaine stood up on a Question of Privilege denouncing Reyes’ uncalled for remarks saying: “It is a violation of the member’s privilege ..” accusing Reyes of “bullying and intimidating a female member.”
Reyes promptly apologized: “I fully apologize..I am not known for this. I am embarrassed because as a football official, I got caught. I respect the rules of the House and I fully apologize…”
Imelda Adao, mom of teen Jaime Adao Jr., broke down while speaking at the podium about her son with her husband Jaime Adao, left. They brought the church to tears Tuesday night, a couple of days after their son was killed in the Winnipeg home invasion. (Trevor Brine/CBC)
NDP MLA Ted Marcelino, the member for St. John’s then rose to bring the issue of a tweet that attacked the NDP but was ruled out of order by the Speaker.
Marcelino was ruled out of order by the Speaker.
Tweet from hashtag #mbpoli .
Reyes was first elected for the Conservatives in 2016 for the riding of St. Norbert. The Special Envoy for Military Affairs has been acclaimed as the candidate for the renamed Waverley constituency in Winnipeg.
Reyes did not respond to our request for comment at posting time.
Flor Marcelino told PCN.Com that “Right now I am not 100% sure if I will want to stand for re-election or not. I will have my annual general meeting with my members and the constituency association executive on May 9th. I will make my decision on or before that date.” She represents the Logan Riding.
Ted Marcelino has confirmed he will run again for Tyndall Park in next year’s election.