Lawmakers reaffirm support for Belmonte amid ouster plot

MANILA, Philippines - Lawmakers from Metro Manila reaffirmed yesterday their support for Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. ahead of the opening of the third regular session of the 16th Congress on July 27 amid rumors of a plot to unseat him.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo of the Liberal Party (LP) said a majority of his colleagues cited Belmonte’s “fair and productive leadership” in the House of Representatives.

Other lawmakers supportive of Belmonte belonging to different political parties include Reps. Zenaida Angping (Manila), Jorge Banal (Quezon City), Jose Christopher Belmonte (Quezon City), Francisco Calalay (Quezon City), Enrico Echiverri (Caloocan), Neptali Gonzales II (Mandaluyong), Magtanggol Gunigundo (Valenzuela), Sandy Ocampo (Manila), Eric Olivarez (Parañaque), Romero Quimbo (Marikina), Gustavo Tambunting (Parañaque), Marcelino Teodoro (Marikina), Alfred Vargas (Quezon City) and Mark Villar (Las Piñas).

Castelo said party-list representatives who are members of the House committee on Metro Manila development have also reaffirmed their support for Belmonte, including Reps. Johnny Revilla (OFW Family) and Samuel Pagdilao (ACT-CIS).

Quimbo dismissed efforts to unseat Belmonte, saying such will not happen owing to his valuable contribution to the country’s legislative system.

“I find it laughable and even ironic where a Speaker, after just leading the passage of the most number of landmark legislation in the history of the House, will be threatened with removal,” Quimbo said.

“Speaker Belmonte’ s ouster will be the death of our institution,” he said.

Castelo said Belmonte delivered most of the administration’s legislative priorities such as the Cabotage and Fair Competition laws.

Tambunting said Belmonte “possesses the necessary leadership and fairness to unite the House that has different political colors and yet deliver on its legislative program like no other Speaker has done.”

LP: No ouster move

The secretary general of the LP said the party is not moving to unseat Belmonte.

“Speaker Belmonte, myself and all other LP members are bound by the same ideals and principles. All these claims of a coup against the Speaker are all lies and are designed to divide LP. I’m sorry to say that this will not stick. LP will be solid and LP is here to stay,” Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento said.

“It’s a figment of their imagination. LP is solidly behind the Speaker. There’s no coup against him. This thing has not cropped up in any of our discussions with other LP members,” Sarmiento said.

Belmonte is vice chairman of the ruling party.

According to Rep. Rodel Batocabe of the party-list group Ako Bicol, there are rumors swirling in the House about a move to oust Belmonte.

“We know that these are just rumors as of now, but we in the 42-member Party-list Coalition have taken a stand to continue supporting the leadership of Speaker Belmonte,” he said. – With Jess Diaz