By Argyll Cyrus Geducos Malacañang denied that it had a hand in the supposed leadership row in the House of Representatives between Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Pampanga Second District Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque (Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in a press briefing minutes before President Duterte, delivers his State of the Nation Address (SONA), said that the Palace will let the House of Representatives resolve its own issue. "Hinahayaan po namin sa mga miyembro ng Kamara na magkaroon ng sariling desisyon pagdating sa kanilang liderato (We are letting the members of the House of Representatives have their own decision when it comes to their leadership)," he said. "This is an internal matter reserved for the House of Representatives," he added. News of lawmakers ousting Alvarez surfaced this morning before the House of Representatives even opened their regular session. It was reported that Presidential daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio initiated the move to oust Alvarez and endorsed former President Arroyo to take over the position. Carpio refused to comment on the matter. Early this morning, the House of Representatives adjourned their session without ratifying the Bangsamoro Organic Law reportedly due to the issue. This led to the last minute changes in Duterte's speech. However, after the session was adjourned, lawmakers returned to the session hall to sign a manifesto which states their desire to replace Alvarez with Arroyo. In a dinner concert in April this year, Duterte poked fun at Alvarez, saying Arroyo was not after his position in the House of Representatives. "Mukhang si Speaker matamlay. Sabi ni ma'am (It seems like Speaker Alvarez is not in the mood), 'Sabihin mo sa kaibigan mo na wala akong ambisyon maging (Tell your friend that I have no ambition of becoming the) Speaker. He can rest,'" Duterte had said. Talks of Arroyo replacing Alvarez surfaced when Alvarez got involved in a spat with Davao Del Norte Repres Antonio Floirendo Jr., whom Alvarez sued for graft before the Ombudsman over an anomalous deal. Duterte-Carpio and Alvarez Early this year, Duterte-Carpio warned Alvarez to not even speak of her name in public events after the House Speaker claimed that the Presidential daughter is part of the opposition when she formed a separate regional political party. The Presidential daughter, in a Facebook post, said Alvarez messed with the wrong girl. "Somebody should tell the President what you are doing. How dare you call me part of the opposition. Kapal ng mukha mo. You messed with the wrong girl," she said. Carpio also told ABS-CBN news that Alvarez has been calling mayors in the region to say that she is in the opposition. "He is calling mayors in the region telling them that I am opposition, I have a feud with my father and that b**ch I am acting alone. This insecure fat sleaze is the epitome of the idiom barking at the wrong tree. I am not interested in his politics but he fired the first shot," she added. The Davao City Mayor also said that the Philippines would be better off without Alvarez as House Speaker. "He is not a leader. He will never be a leader. Many congressmen can do more than what he is delivering for the President," Carpio said. "The Philippines will be a better country if he is not Speaker. PRD will be a stronger President without Alvarez," she added. When asked for a comment, President Duterte told reporters in Iloilo that he will not meddle in the feud. "Well, puro man sila abogado, eh di hayaan ko (They are both lawyers so I will let them be)," Duterte said.