MANILA, Philippines — Despite her ouster as House deputy speaker, former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has expressed what she describes as continuous support for the leadership of Speaker Martin Romualdez.
In a statement, Arroyo said she has always supported Romualdez’s speakership as he was chosen by President Marcos for the post.
“There is always intrigue in politics, often petty. If some intriguers were able to convince Speaker Romualdez of the falsehood that I do not support his leadership in the House, then there is nothing I can do,” Arroyo said.
During the plenary session on Tuesday night, Arroyo and Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab were replaced as deputy speakers by Isabela Rep. Antonio Albano and Lanao del Sur Rep. Yasser Alonto Balidong, respectively.
According to House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, Arroyo and Ungab were relieved from their posts because out of the nine deputy speakers who signed a “pivotal House resolution,” only the two did not sign House Resolution 1414.
Dalipe said HR 1414 is important as it manifests the collective intention of the House leadership to rise in unison in defense of the institution.
The resolution is also a manifestation of the House members’ support to Romualdez amid the attacks by former president Rodrigo Duterte, who was enraged by the chamber’s decision to remove the P650 million in confidential fund of his daugther Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte.
Arroyo explained that she was unable to sign HR 1414 because she was abroad during the signing on Monday.
“In any case, that resolution does not contain anything new for me, because I have always supported his leadership as Speaker,” she said.
But even as an ordinary congressman, Arroyo gave assurance that she would remain true to her word to the President that she would continue to support “his preferred man” for House speaker and that is Romualdez.
Arroyo said that from the time she learned that Marcos preferred Romualdez to lead the chamber, she supported him as speaker, and advised the President of this in writing.
She said she has never taken or supported any action to remove Romualdez from his post.
“In fact, I have publicly stated that I have given up any plans to aspire for the Speakership again, in this and any future Congress that I would have the honor to be a part of ... Having made myself clear, I think we should now move on to more pressing national concerns,” Arroyo said.
For his part, Ungab said he would continue supporting the Marcos administration even if he has been removed as House deputy speaker.
Ungab said he accepts his removal without any bitterness. He said he has accepted his fate with the thought that he had carried out his duties well as deputy speaker.
Ungab has been a long-time ally of Duterte.
Severed ties
Meanwhile, ranking officials of the once-powerful PDP-Laban political party yesterday heeded the advice of their former chairman, former president Duterte, to severe ties with the party once they no longer believe in their advocacies.
Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga’s third district, who was forced to resign from PDP-Laban on Monday after naming Duterte as the one who launched a vilification campaign against the House and its leadership, has now joined the ruling Lakas-CMD party.
The inclusion of Gonzales, along with fellow PDP-Laban members – Reps. Carmelo Lazatin II of Pampanga and Zaldy Villa of Siquijor – now brings to 77 the total number of Lakas-CMD in the House, making it the most dominant party in the chamber. – Delon Porcalla, Edith Regalado