MANILA, Philippines — The 54-strong party-list coalition in the House will meet Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) members in a bid to settle the House leadership row, one of its spokesman, Sagip Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, has said.
“The party-list coalition (Partylist Coalition Foundation Inc. PCFI) will discuss HNP’s formula in settling the House leadership issue with utmost objectivity, the nation’s best interest being the primary consideration,” Marcoleta said in a statement late Wednesday.
“The PCFI resolved to meet soon with HNP to work on common grounds consistent with the shared mandate to serve our people well,” he added.
HNP, the regional party founded by the daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte and incumbent Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, earlier fielded returning Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab for the Speaker race.
HNP also suggested that Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano take the Majority Leader position, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco to take the powerful appropriations committee, and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez to head the accounts panel. All of them are also vying for the speakership.
READ: HNP fields Davao City Rep. Ungab in Speaker race
This came after Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte bared his tentative plan to join the speakership battle, contrary to his earlier pronouncement and amid the President’s vow to resign if he guns for the position.
READ: Duterte: I will resign if Paolo runs to become House Speaker
House members will elect the new Speaker at the opening of the 18th Congress on July 22. (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)