AS the battle for the speakership continues to heat up, lawmakers appealed on Wednesday to groups concerned to allow members of the House of Representatives to elect their candidates via secret voting.
Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice said all the major contenders for the speakership are known solid supporters of President Duterte, namely, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano.
“They are all qualified and each has his own unique leadership skills, so my suggestion is let them slug it out and may the best man win. Let them win the hearts and minds of members of the House. I also suggest that voting for Speaker be conducted by secret balloting,” Erice said.
“The said process will ensure a leader truly supported by the members and eventually may improve the image of the House,” he added.
No to Polong?
On Tuesday, the President’s son and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte said he might vie for the speakership position in the House of Representatives if lawmakers will push through with “term sharing.”
However, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) endorsed the bid of Third District of Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab for Speaker.
“We understand if President Duterte, because of delicadeza, will not accept the intent of our brother from Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, Congressman Paolo Duterte, to resolve the conflict among candidates,” the group said.
HNP said Ungab is a four-term congressman and the only lawmaker to hold the chairmanships of both the Ways and Means and Appropriations Committees.
“We suggest that [front-runners in the speakership race] Cong. Alan Peter Cayetano take the Majority Leader position, Cong. Lord Allan Velasco to take the Appropriations Committee, and Cong. Martin Romualdez to head the Accounts Committee,” it added.
Ungab said he welcomes the endorsement of HNP, saying he would abide by the decision of the party.
Like other candidates for the speakership, Ungab also vowed to support the legislative agenda of President Duterte.
He pledged to help the government boost economic growth, lower poverty incidence and help create more opportunities for all Filipinos through legislation.
“HNP is ready and open to work with everyone. HNP hopes that everyone will aim for and work toward unity and cooperation in order to establish a strong and efficient House. Rest assured that HNP has a vision of a House that will truly work for and serve the best interest and welfare of the Filipino people,” Ungab said.
Romualdez said he respects HNP’s endorsement of its speakership candidate.
“However, we will await the President’s final say on the matter. Going back to the President’s last statement [June 27], he maintained his neutrality on the Speakership race,” he said.
“In fact, the President told us, the Speakership candidates, that he would not meddle in the race and assured us also that he will not secretly pass on any order to support a candidate,” Romualdez added.
Cracks
With the addition of Ungab and Paolo Duterte in the House speakership race, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani-Zarate—the contender from the Makabayan bloc—said that “most of those vying for the speakership come from the same coalition and they are pitted against each other.”
“The Duterte coalition
mirror does not lie: widening cracks are now very apparent, and it is
probably sooner than expected that it will totally disintegrate,” said Zarate.
The election for the next Speaker will be done on July 22, the same day as the President’s fourth State of the Nation Address.
“As can be seen, each faction of this coalition for convenience pursues its own self-serving political and economic interests, a labo-labo is what can be expected in the remaining three years of the Duterte administration, to the detriment and prejudice of our people,” said Zarate.