The President’s son, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, will join the National Unity Party, fueling talks that he may gun for the speakership once the 15 months tenure of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano expires.
Marinduque Rep. Lord Alan Velasco is supposed to succeed Cayetano in the last 21 months of the 18th Congress under the term sharing agreement brokered by President Rodrigo Duterte.
A source said the President’s son would take his oath next week as a member of the NUP, that used to be called Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino, that propelled President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the presidency.
Arroyo and Senate President Vicente Sotto III founded the party in the 1990s.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the House of Representatives said it would equally distribute positions as well as committee chairmanships and memberships among its members from various political parties, a House official said.
At the same time, Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu of Batangas said he was optimistic the House would be able to organize the composition of 60 standing committees and 15 special committees in the next few days.
“We’re still in the thick [committee assignments] of it,” Abu said.
“The House leadership wants the positions equally distributed among House members from different parties so there are meetings after meetings.”
Abu said the House leadership wanted to equally distribute positions and committees among its members who come from different parties led by the ruling party PDP-Laban.
“We all want to help the President and make him succeed—that’s our common denominator,” he said.
It was not immediately known if the young Duterte would renounce his membership in the local political party Hugpong ng Tawong Lungsod when he would take his oath as an NUP member on Aug. 6 during the party’s national congress, expected to elect a new set of national officers.
“There is a good possibility that Rep. Duterte will become the president. I don’t think there is any violation of the party Charter,” an NUP source said.
At present, the NUP is headed by Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro.
Aside from Duterte, five party-list lawmakers who represent groups allied with Duterte—Carlo Gonzales of Marino party-list, and Eric Go Yap, Nina Taduran and Jocelyn Tulfo of ACT-CIS will coalesce with the NUP, the source said.
DUMPER-PTDA Party-list. Rep. Dindi Bautista, another Duterte ally, said she was not approached about the coalition proposal.
She said she was not aware of Duterte’s decision to join the NUP.
Antipolo City Rep. Roberto Puno, on the other hand, said: “Deputy Speaker Pulong Duterte is adopted NUP [member].”
Aside from Duterte, Representatives Rida Robes of San Jose del Monte City and Joy Myra Tambunting of Parañaque City are two district congressmen reported to be joining the NUP.
