Salceda dismisses House coup rumor

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda during the weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday (July 17, 2018). Photo by Christia Marie Ramos/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Albay Rep. Joey Salceda on Wednesday dismissed the possibility of a coup d’état during the upcoming Congress election prior to the President’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 22.

“Wala talaga, kasi I am…nasa loob lang ako ni Alan, nasa loob din ako ni [Leyte Rep.] Martin [Romualdez],” Salceda said during a media forum when asked on the rumored House coup.

Salceda was referring to Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, whom President Rodrigo Duterte earlier endorsed as the next House speaker.

Cayetano, Duterte suggested, would share the three-year term with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco while Romualdez, another Speaker aspirant, would be the Majority Leader.

READ: Duterte pushes for Cayetano-Velasco term-sharing for Speaker

“Internally, no. I don’t see any prospect (of a House coup). The President has made a suggestion…he suggested an arrangement, he has not suggested any other form of arrangement so as far as 298 congressmen, that is the arrangement, because 6 are obviously…on the opposition side,” he further explained.

It was the President’s son, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, who hinted at a possibility that a Speaker aspirant may stage a coup d’état during the July 22 Congress election.

But the President branded the supposed coup as “wishful thinking.” /je

READ: Duterte calls looming House coup ‘wishful thinking’

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