SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez on Friday denied he is supporting the bid of Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, who is poised to contest the speakership race on Monday with the goal of securing the post of minority leader.
He made his statement even as the Partido Demokratiko Pilipinas-Lakas ng Bayan on Friday held a “fellowship” meeting ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte’s first State of the Nation Address on Monday for the party members to get to know each other.
“This is some sort of fellowship for PDP-Laban members in Congress because not all of them will take their oath at the same time and the members are all PDP-Laban,” Alvarez told reporters at the Makati Diamond Residences.
“We want every member to get familiarized who are the members of the PDP-Laban.”
Alvarez, secretary-general of PDP-Laban, said he keeps his hands off on matters that deal with the minority.
“I do not want to meddle with it. Whoever gets the number, then we will know who will be the new minority leader,” Alvarez said.
He made his statement following reports that some of the members of Alvarez’s super majority will cast their vote for Suarez to secure the post of minority leader and establish a friendly minority.
“There are so many speculations, but I make myself clear: I am hands off as far as the affairs of the minority in the House are concerned,” Alvarez said.
But he said his leadership will deal with the opposition so that their voice will be heard in Congress.
“The voice of the minority is the minority,” Alvarez said.
“But the democracy is this: We may disagree but at the end of the day, it’s still the majority that prevails.”
Alvarez is expected to be elected Speaker when Congress convenes on Monday in time for Duterte’s first Sona.
Suarez, along with former speaker and Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr., and Navotas City Rep. Tobias Tiangco reportedly are expected to contest the speakership with the goal of getting the highest post for the minority.
The House rules provide that he who gets the second highest number of votes in the speakership race gets the House Minority leadership.