Capiz Rep. Castro says he resigned as NUP president out of delicadeza

MANILA, Philippines – Capiz 2nd Dist. Rep. Fredenil Castro said his resignation as president and member of the National Unity Party (NUP) was out of “pure and simple delicadeza.”

“My resignation was prompted by pure and simple delicadeza…I have resigned as president and member of the National Unity Party simply because during the speakership race I was unwavering and front liner for [Leyte Rep.] Martin Romualdez,” Castro said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Monday.

“I feel that I could no longer be effective as president of the party and as member of the party if I remain there because I took the opposite direction during the speakership [race],” he added.

Castro explained that while the NUP endorsed now House Speaker and Taguig – Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano for the lower chamber’s top post, he felt that “was morally obliged to myself and to the party to resign as member and as president of the party” as his “position was opposite to that of the party.”

Last July 22, Cayetano was elected to take the helm of the House of Representatives while Romualdez assumed the House majority leadership.

Asked if he would have stepped down as president of the NUP if Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco was elected House Speaker, Castro replied: “No.”

“The reason is simple. Lord Allan Velasco was not the candidate of the National Untiy Party. Therefore there was absolutely no reason for me to be resigning considering that I did not an inconsistent position with that of my political party,” he explained.

Velasco also vied for the House speakership but President Rodrigo Duterte had suggested that the former share the three-year term with Cayetano instead. /gsg

READ: Velasco won’t give up Speaker seat, expects Cayetano to honor term sharing