ONE month before the election of House speaker, President Duterte’s political party PDP-Laban is now strongly moving to regain the top post in the 18th Congress by solidifying its support behind one candidate.
Following a caucus late Sunday in San Juan, the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan or PDP-Laban solidified its support for the speakership bid of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco.
At least 30 party members signed a manifesto backing Velasco’s candidacy for the highest position in the House of Representatives.
Pampanga Rep. Aurelio
Gonzales, also a PDP-Laban member
vying for the speakership, threw his full support to Velasco in order to
allow their party to regain the leadership of the lower chamber.
Former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez of Davao del Norte, who was felled by a “coup” just hours before the President delivered his State of the Nation Address (Sona) in 2018, had expressed a desire to seek the post anew, but said he would abide by his party’s decision to field Velasco.
In the same caucus, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said lawmakers would be of great help to Duterte if they come up with a unified decision as to the next House speaker.
“The President is waiting for us,” Pimentel said.
Duterte, the chairman of PDP-Laban, is expected to name who he will be supporting for the speakership on June 28.
“Once we, PDP-Laban, decide to endorse Lord [Velasco], other [political] parties will follow,” Pimentel added.
According to Pimentel, 185 lawmakers from four political parties have expressed support for one PDP-Laban bet.
At least 153 votes are needed to secure the Speaker position. Besides, Velasco, Gonzales and Alvarez, other candidates for the race are Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano.