QUEZON Rep. Danilo Suarez said Wednesday former vice president Jejomar Binay had given his blessing for him to run as the United Nationalist Alliance’s candidate for speaker with the objective of getting the post of minority leader.
Suarez made the statement following the meeting between Binay and incoming Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, secretary of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, in Makati City on Tuesday.
Suarez had supported Binay’s candidacy for president in this year’s elections.
Suarez said Alvarez merely inquired about UNA’s candidate for the speakership race in light of former speaker Liberal Party member Feliciano Belmonte Jr.’s admission that he would no longer be part of Alvarez’s super majority and might opt to be part of the minority bloc.
“They [Alvarez and Binay] met yesterday [Tuesday] and talked about the speakership,” Suarez said.
“After the meeting, [former] Vice President Binay told me that I am the UNA candidate [for the speakership race].
“I assured them [Alvarez and Binay] that I’ll be leading a constructive and cooperative opposition group that will support the acceptable and agreeable legislative agenda of the government.”
Suarez hinted that Navotas City Rep. Tobias Tiangco, another contender for the speakership race, might no longer get the post of minority leader as UNA had decided to comply with the agreement with the PDP-Laban.
“We will comply with the agreement and the VP [Binay] decision will prevail,” Suarez said.
But Tiangco, a known Binay ally, denied that Binay had chosen Suarez as UNA’s candidate in the speakership race.
“That is not true,” Tiangco said. He said what transpired during the meeting was Alvarez’s commitment to support only Suarez as UNA candidate for the next House Minority Leader.
[Former] Vice President Binay said Alvarez will only support our bid for the minority leadership if Suarez will be our candidate,” Tiangco said.
He questioned Alvarez for “meddling” with the much-awaited outcome of the minority race in the incoming 17th Congress.
“I do not think that is acceptable. They control the majority and the minority at the same time,” Tiangco said referring to the imminent formation of a co-opted minority bloc or a “company union” supported by the emerging super majority bloc that Belmonte has also been fearing.
But Suarez, who is almost certain of being the minority leader, said “there will be no company union. That is baseless and unfounded.”
A House source said Suarez would be able to obtain at least 30 lawmakers from the super majority to beat Belmonte.