“I’M NOT interested,” Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Thursday when asked if, indeed, she was being groomed to replace Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez in light of his adversarial policy against the lawmakers who failed to support the death penalty bill.
The former President, together with lawyer Estelito Mendoza and former National Security Adviser Eduardo Ermita, held a briefing on the West Philippine Sea even as they launched a primer on The Ocean Space Or the Maritime Area of the Philippines that was published by the UP Law Center.
Alvarez, who served as transportation secretary during the Arroyo administration, removed Arroyo as deputy speaker for Central Luzon after she voted against House Bill 4727.
But Arroyo earlier vowed to continue supporting Alvarez as well as President Rodrigo Duterte.
Arroyo had said “the issue of the death penalty is unlike any other in that it touches the core of each person’s fundamental view of human life.’’
“I believe that the issue required a vote based solely on conscience and the deepest of personal convictions. Thus, despite my support for President Duterte and Speaker Alvarez, I voted against House Bill 4727.”
Alvarez has belittled the reported ouster threat against him even as he expressed confidence on the continuing support of the majority coalition of his leadership.