Leyte Rep.-elect Martin Romualdez on Friday welcomed the stance of President Rodrigo Duterte not to endorse any candidate for the speakership in the upcoming 18th Congress.
“From the President’s latest announcement, we get the impression that he values more the independence of the House of the Representatives and the congressmen’s right to elect their own leaders,” Romualdez, a contender in the race to be Speaker, said.
“All of us seeking the speakership post consider it a great privilege to be named the President’s choice. His endorsement would have sealed the victory of any candidate. Members of Congress give premium value to his endorsement for they all want a Speaker who will serve as a working partner of the President in our common quest to improve our people’s lives,” he said.
The President earlier urged ex-President and outgoing Speaker Gloria Arroyo to handpick her successor so he could avoid hurting the feelings of his allies, but she declined to do so.
“Now that the President has spoken, I appeal to my fellow aspirants for speakership to take the lead from the President and allow congressmen to vote in accordance with their conscience,” he said.
“Let not party affiliation be the basis of voting for Speaker. Better that we have a multi-party coalition which is geared toward a swift approval of the President’s legislative agenda. A unified Congress, after all, is what the President needs to help him realize his vision of stability and growth for our country,” he added.
Outgoing House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez on Friday said talk of term sharing for the position of Speaker would only be counterproductive.
“That won’t be good for the House,” he said in an ANC television interview.
“One work needs [continuity], no stalling. What happens if one has a new leader, there would be new committee chairmanships depending on who the allies of the speaker are,” he said.
Ex-House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez also rejected the term-sharing speakership.
“That’s foolishness,” he said.
Taguig City-Pateros Rep.-elect Alan Peter Cayetano previously said he was willing to share the three-year term of Speaker with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco.
Velasco said there was no such deal.
“What term-sharing?” he said. “It’s either you or none at all. Whoever gets chosen, just do what is right.”
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