Hfi$i".
ss Insght
Thursday, June 27,2O1-:g
Spea kersh i p race divides
admin istration coalition
BY WEI{DELL VIOII.IA
PRESIDENT Duterte,s iefusal
to choose the speaker of the lgth
Congress has caused a crack in
the administation coalition at the
House of Represenatives.
The ding party partido De-
mokratiko Pilipino-I-akas ng Bay-
an (?DP-Laban; and rhe parv-list
Coalition Foundadon, Inc.
@bFIl
ate now in disattav aftet some
'their
members opposed leaders,
decision to sign manifesto
a.
support for the speakership bid
of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan
Velasco, who is pirted against
Reps. Ferdinand Martin Romual-
dez (I-akas, LeJte) and Alan peter
Cayetano OIP, Tagurg-Pateros),
Durerte was expeited to make
his chosen candidate knorrn this
Friday bur he changed tune lasr
Tuesday'when he said rhat wou.ld
no longer pick his bet since coq-
gressmen should be tle ones to
choose their leader He asked out-
going Speaket Gloria Macapaeal
of Arroyo to choose he.
to.a..ioi
Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gon-
o Nuyr pAw- PLt..z
+ro PL;PI'- A/tnD'("
(r)
zales, the executive vice president have expressed support for Velas-
of the ruting party who ajso previ-
co; 12 &om the Liberal Pariv: 15
ously eyed the speakeship, aiiined
from rhe Nacionalista parw, i0 t.,
yegerday that Velasco now has the
support of at least 200 lawmakers
25 from the North Luzo., ilti*..;
15 from the Nadonal Unjty partv:
afrer the leaders of two political
45 to 50 from the party-list coj-
parties and two blocs signed
a
one-page manifesto aftet a meeting
tion; and 25 independent memben
of tle House.
with Velasco last Tuesday nieht, " 'We, in out capacities as lead-
Gonzales made *re ctui- &, ,t. ets of various political parties/
same day thar Sen. Manny pac- blocs and representiog
ma jor-
qurao announced the ruline oarw . ity of the members
of the 18th
has choseo Velasco a. its .a,idld^,1 Congress, hereby express our full
for the House's top post.
He said 39 members of NpC See SPEAKERSHIP ) Page 83
 SPEAKERSHIP
and uaequivocal support fcir our
colleague, Rep. Lord Allan Jay Q.
Velasco, to be the Speaker of the
House of representatives in the
18th Congress," the manifesto . fredo Gatbin, PCFI spokesman,
tezrl.
The others who signed the
manifesto are Gonzales and Reps.
MichaelJohn Duavit of Rizal and
\ ?es Gatchalian of Valenzuela and
Ilocos Sut Rep. Kristine Singson-
Meehan of the Northern Alliance
bloc.
They said Velasco '1s the best
choice to lead the House in the
18th Congesb, given his experi-
ence, competence and strong
camataderie vrith his colleagues in
the House.
'Ti'e are 6rmly convinced that
Rep. lord Allan Jay Q Velasco is
imbued with the leadership quali-
ties to steer and unite the entire
House of Representatives in the
passage of crucial legislative re-
forms in support of the legislative
agenda of Ptesidenr Roddgo Roa
Durerte in order to safeguard the
country's economic gains and so-
cial progress," it said.
The same group said the Speaker
"should serve a full term to com-
pletely realize his excellency's
legislative agenda."
It was a rebul<e of the possibil,
ity of a rerm-shariog berween
Velasco and Cayetano who earLier
exptessed his openness to the idea.
Velasco thanked his colleagues
for standing behind him and
vovred to be a consensus builder
ifelected speaker
"If
elected speaker of the 18th
Congress as reptesenative of the
siogle most dominant party io
Congress and the political party
of President Rodrigo Duterte, I
assure them that I $/ill femain a
consultative and a lisrenhg leader,
who welcome s his fellow larvmak-
ets.regardless of their political
colors and affilations," he said.
.ACT OF BETRAYAL'
1PACMAN party-list Rep. Mi-
kee Romerq PCFI presidelt, is in
hot water for allegedly signing the
manifesto without the consent of
his bloc's 53 members.
Because o.f Romero's decision
at the Marco Polo Hotel Onigas
last night.
to siga the manifesto, some of
the members of the newly formed RATIFICATION
palty-list bloc felt betrayed.
Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Al- Romero confrmed that he has
signed the manifesto of support
said Romero's decision to sign the for the speakership bid of Velasco,
manifesto came as a surprise since saying it will be finalized in the
their group was still waiting for meeting.
Duterte to announce his speaker- '"fbnight, we will rati$' what I
ship bet before voting as a bloc. signed," said Romero, brushing
'As far as the coalition is con- aside the criticisms against him.
cerned, we have not endorsed Romero said there was a con-
anyone yet. Maybe he @omero) sensus during their group's June
signed in his personal capacity 19 meeting that in the event thar
but the same cannot be attributed Dutete's fails to choose his speak-
to the collective decision of the etship bet, "we shall elect eidrer
members of tle coa.lition," he told Cong. Lord Allan Velasco or Cong
rePorte$. Mattin Romualdez, (and it will) be
Ang Kalusugan pary-list Rep. decided by (a) majority vore among
Mike Defensor warned tlat t}re the members of PCFI '
PCFI might collapse because of Romero acknowledged dre right
Romero's act, which he called of each PCFI member to support
"unfait and illegal." Romualdez but insisted tlrat the
"This act by Cong. Mikee orgaaization will still have vote fot
Romero as president should have a single candidate as agreed upon.
been okay had he done it on his In the same Juae 19 resolution,
pbrsonal capacity to make known PCFI memben affirmed Romero's
his personal preference. There tole as thei-r representative "fo!
shouldn't have been a problem any speakership-related represen-
had he done it that way but to tation."
speak for t}le paffy-list bloc, it's In the same resolution, the
unfair to us. It.vas not discussed paity-list bloc declared: "That we.
(try the bloc) . Unfalr 'yu\n.' That all 54 membec of PCFI, q/ill vote
was illegal, and there vras no basis for Speakership in the 18th Con-
for that," Defensor told reporters gress as a bloc. ith a single and
dudng the coalition caucus of common choice, both individually
key leadersof a.ll political patties and collectively."
and other influential solons that The PCFI also stessed that it
Romualdez convened at the Seda was its intention to "wholly sup-
Hotel Vertis North il Quezoo polt the choice of President Ro-
City. dtigo Roa Duterte for Speakenhip,
Defensor added: "\fe vrould should he thtoush Senator Bone
like, in clear terms, io tepudiate Go and/or Mayir Saa Dutertel
the teptesentation of Cong. Mikee Carpiq publicly endone a Speaker
Romero saying the party-list bloc aspirant for the 18th Congress."
already decided for Cong Lord
Allan Velasco. There was no such SANCTIONS
decision."
_ TUCP patty-Jist Rep. Raymond RonwaldMunsalag pDp-Laban
Democrito Mendoza said Rome- spokesperson and political affairs
ro's act "runs counter to rhe pro- head, said those who,vill not roe
cedueof *re nust and con6dence the party )ine will face sanction
given to a leader of the bloc." which could mean expulsion from
"This is something that we don't PDP-Laban.
like," he said. "Our understanding "Members of the pDp Laban
is tiat we will be voting as a bloc." who will defyits choice for (Speak-
- The disgruntlement of PCFI er)
will be sanctioned,,, hi-said.
members prompted Romero to 'qwe aim to further strengthen the
call for. a meeting set to be held paty by weeding out undliciplined
\ 4eAottle- NaNt/ llFVr PAq€ Pu " -)
e)
 patty members."
{+.:
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, a PDP-
Laban member who was among
the 40 lawmakers ftom differer.rt
parties who attended Romual-
dez' event at the SEDA Hotel,
slammed Munsayact threat to
sanction those who will not vote
for Velasco,
"Any thteats or saflctions are
unjustified and may only incur the
unwanted consequence of a re-
duced reptesenation in *re Com-
mission on Appointments (CA);'
he warned PDP leadets.
Salceda, a tusted lieutenant of
Spea.ker Glotia Arroyo, believes the
party will eventually vote as one for
Romualdez, noting drat half of at
least 80 PDP-Laban members at
the House ate for Romualdez.
"All these thteats are baseless
and lastly there is no consultation,
We need consultation; we have 40
lawmaken ftom the PDP-Laban
suppotting Cong, Romualdez as
Speaket " mentel III to announce *re nomi-
He said explained that dre cau-
cus was convened by Romualudez
"so tley @atty leaders) can all have
a clearpicture of the reforms drat
Romualdez plan to implement in
the 18dr Congress as Speaker."
"We are 100 percent behind
Cong. Martin as Speaker. We need
to get his views on how to make
the nrxt Coogrcss more effective
in legislating laws that are beneficial
to our countrjrrnerL" said Salceda.
.MODEST'
Romualdez refused to say how
many lawmakets have committed
to back him but expressed confi-
dence that he temains a formidable
contender for the post.
'1'm not talking about oumbers
here but just aboutworking togedr-
et in unison wirll my colleagues on
bowwe can enswe the passage of
the President's legislative agenda,"
he told reporters duriag the caucus.
'n!0e ate not iike Sen. Pacquiao
who is boxing champion - we're
not bloody hdre," said Romualdez,
a close ally of Arroyo.
Defensor said Romualdez is
obviously being "modest'' because
he himself has seen the numbers
behind him.
\ #eftpuilz
"I've seen it aod yes we have
the $umbers. Cong. Romualdez is
just being modest herg' said the
retuming lawmaker.
Among those who attended the
caucus were Reps. Edgu Erice of
Caloocan and Kit Belmonte of
Quezon City who ate ftom the op-
position Liberal Party, the majotity
of which may consider joining the
majority bloc again if they will be
allowed to vote against some of the
administation's priority measures
Erice said he attended the event
to let Romualdez know that the LP
is against some of dre administfa-
tion's legislative priodties like the
restoration of the death penalty
and the lowering of age of ctiminal
Ii4bility.
PDP.I-ABAN
NOMINATION
Pacquiao, who was tasked by
paty president Sen. Aquilino Pi-
nation, noted drat "at least majot-
ity" of PDP-Laban congressmen
had signed a manifesto supporting
Velasco
"I am thetefore announcing the
endorsement in support of the
PDP-Laban to Congrespman Lord
Allan Velasco as Speaktt'of the
House of Representatives in dre
firll term of the 18th Congress,"
Pacquiao said in a teleconference
ftom I-os Angeles, whete he is tnin-
ing for an upcoming boxing match,
The announcement came a day
aftet Ptesident Duterte declined to
endorse anyone for the position,
He said he would allow outgoing
Speaket Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
to "choose the next Speake/' so as
not to "give me a problem."
Pacquiao said Duterte did not
want to choose ftom among his
allies and affect their relationships.
'Ayaw niyang malasakit ng loob ng
iba (He does not want to hutt any-
one's feelings)," the senator gaid.
Aside from Velasiq the other
party mem,lers who sought the
position #e re formet Speaker
and Davao del NoJte 1st Disttict
Rep. Rep. Panaleon Alvarez and
Pampanga 3rd Dist. Rep. Aurelio
Gonzales Jr.
Pirnentel in aJune 12 satement
Alealtt
(s)
said it was "imperative thfu dre
Speaker should come from PDP-
Laban" because his party won dre
most seats - 94, or 39 perceng of
the 241 districts.
In a May 21 interview with !epo!t-
ers, he threatened members who
would not toe dre line drat 'Se'll
have to hck them out of dre patty."
Artoyo has been a member of
PDP-Iabari since October 2017 but
her supporters are pushing fot Ro-
mualdez to become her successoJ.
Duterte's losing running mate in
the 2016 elections, incomiog Taguig
City 1st Disr Rep: Alan Peter Cay-
etano of the Nacionalista Party, is
also bidding for the.position.
PAI.A,CE STATEMENT
President Dutette expects the
next speaker to help ensute drat
priority is given to the legislative
agenda of his administration.
. Chief Presidential I:gal Coun-
sel Sallzdor Panelo, concutrent
presidential spokesman, rciter-
ated that the Ptesident would not
endorse anyone for speaker and
hopes that "the best and most
competent aspirant" would be
elected by the members of the
House of Represenmtives to lead
them.
"President Duterte is confident
that the next Lower House leader
would shepherd his legislative
agenda for the nation's best in-
terest and the people's general
vrelfare. The Palace is. therefore
optimistic drat the membets of
Congtess klow aod will vote for
the caodidate whom they think
and beLieve can give them excellent
stewardship in legislating policics
and measutes dratwill deliver posi-
tive and genuine change fot out
people," he said.
Panelo added that Duterte had
already mentioned that he could
work well v'ith anyone especially
since a.ll the aspita.nts are his politi-
cal allies and friends.
He said the President prefers to
focus on governance and let the
House members decide ather tlran
play politics and ruffe the fe6lings
of those that he might not endonq
-With Vincc Nonato ardJoelgn
Montemqyor