Speaker bets hold marathon meetings

Will Duterte step in?

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The speakership issue remained unresolved as the three serious contenders were huddled in a series of meetings over so-called concessions with presidential children Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and First District Rep. Paolo Duterte over the weekend.

The meetings among Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and the two Duterte siblings started as early as last Friday and continued until yesterday.

“The issue they have to resolve is the matter on concessions on committee chairmanships, among others, which they have not thoroughly discussed yet,” The STAR source said, adding the speakership issue has only been halfway resolved as of yesterday noon.

Carpio heads Hugpong ng Pagbabago regional party, while her elder brother, a neophyte congressman, heads the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, the city counterpart of HNP.

Although President Duterte was in town for the usual weekend, he did not meddle in the meetings among the three contenders and the Duterte siblings. Two weeks before Congress opens, sources however said the Chief Executive may yet step in to resolve the impasse.

It could also not be ascertained if Davao City third district Rep. Isidro Ungab, endorsed by the two Hugpongs, would clinch the speaker’s post.

Paolo himself said he is giving up any intention to seek the speakership and that he is giving way to Ungab after talking to his father, the President, last Thursday.

A Davao Coalition has lately been formed in Congress supposedly to support Paolo’s speakership bid.

“The earlier the speakership issue can be settled even if the final and official nomination will be in the morning of July 22 yet, the better, so that arrangements for committee chairmanships and other positions can be started earlier too,” a congressman from the south told The STAR.

Once the issue is resolved, it will allow the 18th Congress to “hit the ground running” as it opens on July 22.

“Ideally, the speakership issue should be settled next week, a little over a week before July 22,” the same STAR source said.

Duterte might change mind

Two weeks before his fourth State of the Nation Address, the President might still change his mind and finally pick his candidate for next speaker after all, reliable sources said yesterday.

Insiders put forward this looming scenario by July 22, when the 18th Congress (2019-2022) officially convenes session, following the hullabaloo among the speakership aspirants that only sowed divisiveness and showed cracks among coalition partners of the ruling PDP-Laban.

“Apparently, he saw how divisive his plan not to meddle in the speakership race has become, which evolved into a free-for-all fight, some throwing mud against each other,” a source said, adding that it is now a “level playing field” as far as the three contenders are concerned.

Best interest of nation

It is in the best interest of the country that Duterte make public his personal choice for the next Speaker of the House, as this is the first time in Congress’ post-Marcos history that such issue dragged on for quite a while, according to a lawmaker.

“This is the first time that it’s a little bit late, and there are just too many candidates,” Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said, recalling Congress’ reopening in 1987 when the speakership fight was more clearcut from Ramon Mitra, Jose de Venecia, Sonny Belmonte to Pantaleon Alvarez.

The late Mitra was the first House leader in the post-Marcos era in the late ’80s, De Venecia was at the helm for 15 years until he was ousted and replaced by the late Prospero Nograles in 2008, Belmonte served from 2010 to 2016 and Alvarez’s term was until 2018.

“For the good of the country, the speakership fight should be over by now so that we can hit the ground running. At least a week before July 22, there has to be party movements already,” Salceda said.

“I think the President should speak at this point because there has to be a super majority at the House. It is very important that we mobilize the whole Congress so that we can efficiently and effectively pass the legislative agenda of the President,” he added.

The former director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority likewise underscored the need for the Chief Executive to anoint his ally as speaker, the same way he did with former speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo whose role was crucial during the rice crisis and the high inflation rate. The President, however, said it was his daughter the mayor who maneuvered Alvarez’s ouster.

Former House majority leader Fredenil Castro and returning congressman Mike Defensor, who now represents the new party-list group Anakalusugan, echoed the same concerns.

“I agree. The President should make his choice and speak now,” Castro of Capiz said.

“Our choice for Speaker is not only our own choice. More than anything else, it will benefit the President. Dapat malaman na natin kaagad (We should know) at the soonest time possible para rin huwag nang magkasakitan pa (So we also don’t hurt one another),” Defensor, a former Cabinet member, told a news conference.

The three administration lawmakers are all supportive of the candidacy of Romualdez, but clarified they are still awaiting word from Duterte so that all these speculations that only create divisiveness in the majority coalition will be finally put to end.

Defensor disclosed that Romualdez has support of “more than 167” House members, a figure which Castro claimed is actually more and thus “decent and determinative enough” to win him the speakership.

“Whoever is chosen by the majority is the winner in any election. That is simple logic. Cong. Martin has the numbers. It is but logical that the choice of the majority should be the one to sit as speaker in the 18th Congress,” he said.

Defensor, who lost his Senate bid in 2007, revealed that more than half of the 306-member House have signed a manifesto of support for Romualdez, where lawmakers crossed party lines to vote for him as speaker on July 22.

“I have seen the manifesto for support for Congressman Martin and I saw the signatures of 167 congressmen from different political parties and blocs of the 18th Congress. An initial list of 80 congressmen was shown to the President last month, but the numbers have grown to 167,” Defensor told reporters in a recent news forum.

The three legislators – Salceda, Castro and Defensor – expressed confidence that the President, upon confirming the final tally of signatures in Romualdez’s favor, will welcome or even endorse the Leyte congressman for the top House post.

“If the President wants to achieve his goals for the country, it is important to have legislative support of the supermajority in the lower chamber. The lower chamber needs a leader who will push for the economic measures of the administration,” Salceda said.

“Rep. Martin as a speaker is good for the economy as well as the economic and business leaders concerned,” he added. – With Delon Porcalla