MANILA – Several House lawmakers said they were unaware of allegations that Executive Secretary Ralph Recto intervened to stop the passage of a legislated wage hike during the 19th Congress.

In a report, it said that the issue was raised during a House Committee on Labor and Employment hearing by Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste, who claimed Recto, then serving as finance secretary, called members of the bicameral conference committee to block the measure.

“As I understand, the gentleman from Kamanggagawa party list already named certain members of the cabinet who have been seen to be those blocking the passage of the wage hike… I don’t want it to come from me because they will say that it’s hearsay. I’d like to ask anyone here in this room with knowledge of the reason why this was not approved on the last day of the 19th Congress despite it having been approved by the House,” Leviste said.

Cavite 1st District Representative Ramon Jolo Revilla III said he had no knowledge of such allegations, adding that the House and the Senate had failed to agree on the amount of the proposed wage increase.

“I have no knowledge but number one, hindi lang po nagkasundo ang Senado at ang Kongreso kung magkano ba dapat ang itaas ng sahod– P200 ba o P100 ba,” Revilla said.

House Deputy Speaker and TUCP party-list Representative Raymond Mendoza said he agreed with Revilla’s statement.

Mendoza also proposed reviewing the legislative process, arguing that measures approved by both chambers should not be allowed to fail during bicameral conference deliberations.

“Pumasa na sa Kongreso. Pumasa na sa Senado. Pinatay lang sa bicam. So there must be a way, if it has reached to that level na hindi na dapat na patayin na lang sa– as lawyers will say the third house– which is wrong, which is even unconstitutional… Sayang talaga that the 200 wage bill died because of circumstances like that,” Mendoza said.

Leviste later identified Recto as the official who allegedly intervened, while saying President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was not involved.

“In defense of the president, it was not him who made the call on the last day of the 19th Congress. It was the member of the cabinet just named by Congressman San Fernando… We were informed just a few minutes ago that it was Ralph Recto that called members of the bicam on the last day of the 19th Congress not to pass the wage hike bill,” Leviste said.

Revilla replied: “We have no knowledge.”

Kamanggagawa party-list Representative Elijah San Fernando, meanwhile, told reporters after the hearing that his party believes the President opposes the legislated wage increase and the pending bill seeking to abolish the provincial wage rate system.

Recto has previously denied Leviste’s allegation that he blocked the wage hike measure.

In a separate interview after the hearing, ACT Teachers party-list Representative Antonio Tinio said authorities should respect the right of protesters to assemble while ensuring that traffic continues to flow.

“Siguro usapin lang ito ng pagtiyak ng mga awtoridad na magpapatuloy pa rin ang daloy ng trapiko para mabalanse ‘yung interes nung mga kababayan natin na kailangang magtrabaho, mag-commute and so on,” Tinio said.

“Kung anuman ang isyu nila, nirerespeto natin ang freedom of assembly,” he added.