PDP-Laban to field one candidate for House speaker

MANILA, Philippines — The ruling PDP-Laban is scheduled to meet today to come up with a single candidate for speaker of the House of Representatives.

“We will try to agree on a common candidate or let President Duterte choose who we will field for speaker when we elect our leaders,” a party member, who did not want to be named, said yesterday.

He said the election of House leaders on July 22, when the incoming 18th Congress convenes, would be “chaotic if there would be a free-for-all.”

The ruling party is aiming to secure leadership of the larger chamber of Congress. It won about 80 House seats.

Seen as PDP-Laban frontrunners in the speakership race are Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr., who served as the party’s deputy national campaign manager in the recent elections; Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and former speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

Gonzales reportedly has the support of newly elected PDP-Laban senators, including former special presidential assistant Christopher Go and former Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa, who were his frequent companions during the election campaign.

Gonzales said it would be an honor for him to lead the House but that he would support whoever is endorsed by the President for the speakership.

Apparently in preparation for reclaiming his former post, Alvarez has offered to reconcile with his political enemies, including presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, with whom he had a bitter feud before he was ousted as Speaker in July last year.

However, during the election campaign, the President’s daughter told reporters that she would prefer another candidate for Speaker.

“He (Alvarez) already had his chance,” she said.  Alvarez’s ticket made a clean sweep of the recent elections in Davao del Norte, defeating candidates fielded by Mayor Sara’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

In the case of Velasco, he was seen frequently accompanying the President’s daughter during the election campaign. His camp claims he has the support of Mayor Sara.

The other aspirants for Speaker are former foreign affairs secretary and Taguig congressman-elect Alan Peter Cayetano and Leyte representative-elect Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

Cayetano belongs to the Villars’ Nacionalista Party, while Romualdez is president of Lakas, the ruling party during the Arroyo administration.

Other potential candidates are outgoing Sen. Loren Legarda, a member of Nationalist People’s Coalition; and incumbent Majority Leader Fredenil Castro, who belongs to National Unity Party.

All dominant political groups in the House have sizeable membership. All are also associated with billionaire power brokers.

In a related development, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said President Duterte would continue to enjoy broad support in the next Congress with the victory of administration candidates, “most especially from legislators who will seek reelection or run for different or higher elective posts in 2022.”

“Lawmakers who want to boost their chances for poll victory in the 2022 elections are likely to avoid standing in the way of the President’s legislative agenda, considering the overwhelming victory of the candidates he had openly supported,” Villafuerte said.

He said the dismal election performance of the opposition “was a resounding vote of confidence in President Duterte that will give him a fresh mandate to push further reforms and initiatives, in keeping with his agenda to sustain the growth momentum and reduce poverty incidence to just 14 percent by 2022.”  

102 bow out

A total of 102 members of the 292-member House of Representatives are on their third and last term and will be bowing out of office by June 30 as neophyte and veteran lawmakers take over the chamber.

Outgoing lawmakers include Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who will be replaced by her son Mikey in the second district of Pampanga;  and Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, widow of the late strongman. 

Of the 102, 74 are third termers, 16 lost their re-election bids while 12 have relinquished their legislative posts either to their spouses or children. An overwhelming majority of House members belong to political dynasties in their districts.

Other so-called “graduating” legislators are Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Reps. Rodolfo Fariñas of Ilocos Norte, Rolando Andaya Jr. of Camarines Sur, Albee Benitez of Negros Occidental, former House deputy speaker Miro Quimbo of Marikina, Reps. Winnie Castelo and Bolet Banal of Quezon City, Sherwin Tugna of party-list Cibac, Rey Umali of Oriental Mindoro, Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar, Toby Tiangco of Navotas and House Deputy Speaker Art Yap.

Legarda will be taking over the district of Antique while Jesus is Lord pastor Bro. Eddie Villanueva will also be joining Congress, being nominee of the re-elected Cibac (Citizens Battle Against Corruption) party-list.

Another senator who will relinquish his post by July 1, Antonio Trillanes IV, may also be joining the lower legislative chamber as his party-list group Magdalo is set to again get a seat in Congress.

Trillanes will reportedly make a political comeback via Congress, where he will be nominated by his fellow Magdalo members as their first nominee.

Duterte’s son Paolo was elected congressman of Davao City. He was formerly vice mayor.

Quimbo will be replaced by his wife Stella as representative of Marikina, last-termer Fariñas of Ilocos Norte will also be replaced by his daughter Ria – a provincial board member – come July 1.

Among other reelected congressmen were Elpidio Barzaga of Dasmariñas, Cavite; Emmanuel Madrona of Romblon; Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte; Boyet Gonzales of Mandaluyong City; Bem Noel of An Waray; Mujiv Hataman of Basilan. – With Delon Porcalla