Nueva Vizcaya solon declares bid for speakership

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — Veteran lawmaker Rep. Carlos Padilla of this province’s lone district will be vying for the speakership of the House when the 12th Congress convenes in July.

Padilla, leader of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino "conscience bloc" affiliated with the administration coalition, declared his candidacy for the fourth highest post in the land after his resounding victory over human rights lawyer Ernesto Salunat of the Lakas-NUCD by more than 60,000 votes.

Padilla is seen to give former Speaker and Pangasinan congressman-elect Jose de Venecia a run for his money in his bid to reclaim his old post.

"I do not deny that I am interested, and if given the trust of my colleagues, I would gladly offer myself for the speakership," said Padilla, who will be on his third and last term.

The outgoing speaker is Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr., the mayor-elect of his city.

Aspiring to be the first Novo Vizcayano speaker, Padilla admitted that aside from him and De Venecia, there are other equally deserving and qualified House members for the post.

Padilla explained that apart from the unanimous vote of colleagues, what is also crucial is Palace support.

"It is traditionally the President who sets the signals on whom he, or in this case she, wants as House Speaker," he said.

Padilla expressed confidence that a majority of his colleagues would support him in his bid for the House top post. But he declined to identify the lawmakers who had signified their support for him.

And though he admitted that Mrs. Arroyo has not yet committed the post to anybody, Padilla is also banking on her support.

Padilla bolted the LDP mainstream by leading more than 30 of his partymates in signing the impeachment complaint against then President Joseph Estrada last November.

The LDP renegades were then called the Conscience Bloc, with Padilla as their leader. They were later allied with the administration People Power Coalition.

If he wins the speakership, Padilla said this would be the "crowning glory" of his political career that spans over 30 years, from municipal mayor of an obscure town here to becoming a member of the Batasang Pambansa during the Marcos regime.

Padilla earned his niche in the province’s political landscape when he routed the once undefeated former longtime congressman and senator Leonardo Perez in the 1995 congressional elections.

Perez’s defeat to his former protégé ended his long but colorful political career.