Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice on Sunday supported former Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez as the next House Speaker in the incoming 18th Congress.
“He has no corruption issue, and that will work to his advantage,” said Erice, a member of the House opposition.
Earlier, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, chairperson of the Hugpong Ng Pagbabago, endorsed Romualdez, who is seeking reelection in May, as the next Speaker.
House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said Duterte’s endorsement of Romualdez would mean a more productive and responsive House of Representatives supportive of the President’s legislative agenda.
“We need a competent and honest man like congressman Romualdez. He has good public relations and no derogatory issue. Congress will be very interesting with his leadership. He is good, responsible, very bright and intelligent,” he said.
Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza said Romualdez has never been tainted by allegations of corruption and said he was an effective and independent opposition leader when he was last in Congress.
“We should elect a Speaker untainted by corruption,” Atienza said.
Romualdez, both president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and Philippine Constitution Association, is running for the Leyte congressional seat to replace his wife, Yedda.
Former Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. cited Romualdez’s good record as a constructive critic when he headed the independent bloc in Congress.
“During my speakership, he headed the independent minority group, yet proved to be supportive and helped me in pushing important measures,” he said.
“He is a good and brilliant lawyer who never lost a case. He is also fair and a charming gentleman,” Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano said.
