Respect Duterte’s hands-off policy on Speakership fight– Pichay

MANILA, Philippines — Surigao del Sur 1st District Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. on Friday urged members of the Executive and Legislative departments to respect the President’s hands-off stance on the speakership fight.

Pichay made the appeal after some members of the Executive and Legislative departments are reportedly trying to persuade President Rodrigo Duterte to intervene in the speakership race.

“I am urging the contenders not to bother the President because he has so many pressing problems in our country,” Pichay said in a statement.

“I also urge other government officials to keep their hands off the Speakership race. They should stop pressuring the President to endorse a Speakership aspirant of their choice,” he added.

Pichay said the President’s decision not to intervene in the speakership row “guarantees the unity and independence of the 18th Congress.”

“Maliwanag naman ang sinabi ng ating Pangulo na you are all my friends, you are all my allies, I leave it to the lawmakers to decide as to who will be their Speaker. With that, whoever will emerge as the Speaker will have a mandate,” he added.

Some lawmakers from political blocs in the House have urged Duterte to pick his bet for the House Speaker.

“Naniniwala ako, for the good of the country, I think unless hindi po abrasive ‘yung speakership fight, para po we can hit the ground running, importante po ang pagpili ni Pangulo kasi po kung pababayaan, we will determine the Speaker only in the morning of July 22,” Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda said Thursday.

READ: Solons appeal to Duterte: Pick Romualdez for House Speaker

A proposed term sharing among some bets for the speakership is being pushed by some Cabinet members who are supportive of Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano’s speakership bid, according to Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza.  (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)