Manila Bulletin
Speakership race rendered a free-for-all with Malacañang's hands off policy – Partylist Head
Speakership race rendered a free-for-all with Malacañang's hands off policy – Partylist Head
Speakership race rendered a free-for-all with Malacañang's hands off policy – Partylist Head
Published May 31, 2019 09:43 pm
By Ben Rosario
It is now a “free for all” among aspirants for speaker of the House of Representatives as a result of a Malacañang pronouncement that President Rodrigo Duterte will adopt a hands-off policy in the leadership choice of congressmen.
1PACMAN partylist Rep. Michael "Mikee" Romero (RIO DELUVIO / MANILA BULLETIN)
1Pacman Partylist Rep. Michael Romero, who heads an emerging power bloc of at least 55 partylist congressmen, said his group will possess the “swing vote” in the speakership election if Duterte decides to keep off Lower House politics.
The claim that Duterte will not meddle with the House leadership race came from presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo.
Interviewed on ANC television, Romero noted that all aspirants for the presidency have been claiming closeness to the chief executive, thus, implying that this relationship will be their respective ticket to the speakership.
Three of the aspirants, namely Reps. Lord Alan Velasco (PDP-Laban, Marinduque) and incoming Reps. Martin Romualdez (Lakas, Leyte) and Alan Peter Cayetano (NP, Taguig City), joined Duterte in his official visit to Japan.
On the other hand, former speaker and Davao Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez is also counting on Duterte’s support to regain his old seat.
“Closeness to the president is also a factor. But everyone is claiming they are close to the president,” said Romero.
According to him, the presidential endorsement is considered the most vital criteria that a candidate must meet, stressing that a good working relationship between the executive and the legislative will be helpful to the country.
However, getting the support of the Partylist Coalition Foundation Inc., which he heads, appeared to be included in the priorities of aspiring speakers.
During PCFIs organizational meeting that saw Romero’s assumption to the presidency, the same group of aspirants that went to Japan was the first to show up and present their program of leadership in the Lower House.
Alvarez failed to show up but he has sought an audience with the PCFI to present his own agenda.
Meanwhile, veteran opposition Rep. Edcel Lagman (LP, Albay) called on all candidates for the speaker to leave the minority leadership open to solons who can guarantee the independence of the Lower House.
Lagman noted that since the leading aspirants for Speaker “are all pledging unequivocal support” for president’s legislative agenda, they are considered to belong to the “same Duterte” mold”.
“Since they all belong to the same Duterte mold, not one of them in the event of not being anointed by the President or after losing in the Speakership derby can qualify as Minority Leader who should not be beholden to President Duterte or the supermajority,” he explained.
Lagman said, “the House of Representatives needs a Speaker who can assure and defend the independence and integrity of the House as a co-equal department, and not act as a rubber stamp of the President.”
“A worthy Speaker can have reasonable collaboration with the Administration but can pursue differing views consistent with the people’s welfare, the Constitution and the rule of law,” he added.
1PACMAN partylist Rep. Michael "Mikee" Romero (RIO DELUVIO / MANILA BULLETIN)
1Pacman Partylist Rep. Michael Romero, who heads an emerging power bloc of at least 55 partylist congressmen, said his group will possess the “swing vote” in the speakership election if Duterte decides to keep off Lower House politics.
The claim that Duterte will not meddle with the House leadership race came from presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo.
Interviewed on ANC television, Romero noted that all aspirants for the presidency have been claiming closeness to the chief executive, thus, implying that this relationship will be their respective ticket to the speakership.
Three of the aspirants, namely Reps. Lord Alan Velasco (PDP-Laban, Marinduque) and incoming Reps. Martin Romualdez (Lakas, Leyte) and Alan Peter Cayetano (NP, Taguig City), joined Duterte in his official visit to Japan.
On the other hand, former speaker and Davao Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez is also counting on Duterte’s support to regain his old seat.
“Closeness to the president is also a factor. But everyone is claiming they are close to the president,” said Romero.
According to him, the presidential endorsement is considered the most vital criteria that a candidate must meet, stressing that a good working relationship between the executive and the legislative will be helpful to the country.
However, getting the support of the Partylist Coalition Foundation Inc., which he heads, appeared to be included in the priorities of aspiring speakers.
During PCFIs organizational meeting that saw Romero’s assumption to the presidency, the same group of aspirants that went to Japan was the first to show up and present their program of leadership in the Lower House.
Alvarez failed to show up but he has sought an audience with the PCFI to present his own agenda.
Meanwhile, veteran opposition Rep. Edcel Lagman (LP, Albay) called on all candidates for the speaker to leave the minority leadership open to solons who can guarantee the independence of the Lower House.
Lagman noted that since the leading aspirants for Speaker “are all pledging unequivocal support” for president’s legislative agenda, they are considered to belong to the “same Duterte” mold”.
“Since they all belong to the same Duterte mold, not one of them in the event of not being anointed by the President or after losing in the Speakership derby can qualify as Minority Leader who should not be beholden to President Duterte or the supermajority,” he explained.
Lagman said, “the House of Representatives needs a Speaker who can assure and defend the independence and integrity of the House as a co-equal department, and not act as a rubber stamp of the President.”
“A worthy Speaker can have reasonable collaboration with the Administration but can pursue differing views consistent with the people’s welfare, the Constitution and the rule of law,” he added.