Duterte vowed he won’t secretly endorse Speaker bet – Romualdez

The plenary hall of the House of Representatives. (Photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has assured lawmakers that he would not meddle in the race for the House Speaker and would not secretly endorse a candidate, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said on Wednesday.

“Going back to the President’s last statement (June 27), he maintained his neutrality in the Speakership race,” Romualdez, one of the top Speaker contenders, said in a statement.

“In fact, the President told us, the Speakership candidates, that he would not meddle in the race and assured us also that he will not secretly pass on any order to support a candidate,” the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats president added.

The lawmaker also said he respects the endorsement of Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab by Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), which presidential daughter and Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio founded.

However, Romualdez said they would still “await the President’s final say on the matter.”

READ: HNP fields Davao City Rep. Ungab in Speaker race

Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr., the spokesman of the 54-strong party-list coalition in the House, earlier confirmed the possibility that Duterte may opt to secretly endorse a Speaker through Sara or his close aide, Sen. Bong Go.

“Tama, ‘yun ang paniwala ng karamihan sa Koalisyon, may not be a public announcement pero may ibubulong. Sabi ko nga pwede ipadaan kay Sara o sa kanyang top aide, kay Bong Go,” Garbin said in an interview, Tuesday.

“Ngayon ang desisyon namin is mag-antay. Kung walang pronouncement ang Presidente o walang bulong, we’ll put it into vote,” he added.

Although the President has publicly repeated his hands-off stance on the House Speaker battle, his party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), had endorsed the bid of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, Sara’s close friend.

But on Tuesday, Duterte’s eldest son, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, threatened to join the race for the position in a bid to “unite” the “divided” chamber.

Paolo’s plan, if pursued, would prompt Velasco’s supporters to jump-ship to the presidential son’s side, according to PDP-Laban National Executive Vice President and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr./ac

READ: House to deliver landslide win for Paolo Duterte in Speaker race – solons

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