Puno, Nograles eyed as JDV challengers

The more challengers there are, the merrier. This aptly describes the fight for the position of House Speaker, currently held by Pangasinan’s Jose de Venecia Jr.

Yesterday, Palawan Rep. Antonio Alvarez, who belongs to the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), said the fight should not be limited to De Venecia and Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr., who both belong to the ruling Lakas party.

"From our ranks, we have senior statesmen like Louie (Luis) Villafuerte (of Camarines Sur) and seasoned leaders like Ronnie (Ronaldo) Puno (of Antipolo City, Kampi president) who are more than qualified to assume the leadership of the House," he said.

He added that in Lakas, Majority Leader Prospero Nograles "would excite many a House member if he would accept a draft to be our leader."

Alvarez also disputed the statement last Wednesday of Kampi party mate and Sorsogon Rep. Jose Solis that their party had decided to support De Venecia’s leadership.

He said Kampi has yet to meet and take a stand on the issue.

"Thus, any claim by a member that the party is solidly behind the Speaker is not supported by an official party decision which conveys such a sense," he said.

According to Solis, Kampi leaders met on Tuesday afternoon upon Puno’s call and decided to back De Venecia.

"We agreed that if we have problems with the Speaker, we would just thresh these out directly with him," Solis had told reporters. Aside from Kampi and Lakas, the Liberal Party and the Nationalist People’s Coalition have thrown their support behind the incumbent Speaker. Alvarez did not say whom he is supporting, though he attended Pichay’s caucus with Mindanao congressmen in Cagayan de Oro City last Saturday.

Last Monday, two Pichay supporters — Rolex Suplico of Iloilo and Jacinto Paras of Negros Oriental — tried to unseat De Venecia by presenting a motion to declare all leadership posts in the House vacant, but the Speaker’s allies overwhelmingly defeated the move. Deputy Majority Leader Arthur Defensor said the "overwhelming vote was a clear message to all those trying to challenge the Speaker."