Romualdez, Sara reelected as Lakas-CMD officials

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s most dominant party, the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, elected its new national officers and members of its executive committee and national advisory council last week.

Speaker Martin Romualdez and Vice President Sara Duterte have “reassumed” their positions as president and chairperson, respectively.

Romualdez, who leads the 316-member House of Representatives, said the installation of new leaders “will strengthen and reinvigorate our party in support of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his Agenda for Prosperity and socio-economic roadmap.”

“We hope to further grow our membership with new recruits who share our ideals, programs and goals, and aspirations for our people and our nation,” Romualdez, who represents the first district of Leyte province, added.

Lakas-CMD now counts 68 representatives as members in the House, aside from hundreds of governors, city and town mayors, provincial board and city and municipal council members, and other local officials.

Elected with Romualdez and Duterte were former president and incumbent Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as chairperson emeritus, former speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. as co-chairperson emeritus, Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. as co-chairperson, Capiz Gov. Fredenil Castro as vice chair, and House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe as executive vice president.

Other elected officers are Representatives Jose Aquino II of Agusan del Norte as secretary general, Samantha Santos of North Cotabato as deputy secretary general and David Suarez of Quezon as treasurer.

These officers were also chosen as members of the national executive committee.

The party formed a national advisory council “to support the executive committee.”

Comprising the council are former lawmakers Juan Miguel Arroyo, Diosdado Ignacio Arroyo, Lourdes Arroyo, Prospero Pichay Jr., Wilter Wee Palma, Aleta Suarez, Hector Sanchez, Paz Radaza, Leonardo Babasa Jr., Anthony Peter Crisologo, Mari Grace Preciosa Castelo and Sandra Eriguel.

Former executive secretary Eduardo Ermita, former secretaries Gabriel Claudio and Nasser Pangandaman Sr., and Agriculture Undersecretary Zamzamin Pamintuan also sit in the advisory council.