FILE – Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III. Senate PRIB file photo / Joseph Vidal
MANILA, Philippines — The Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) will follow President Rodrigo Duterte’s lead in the ongoing speakership battle in the House of Representatives, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said on Wednesday.
Sotto is acting chair of NPC with 42 members in the lower chamber.
“[We’ll] follow the President,” the Senate leader said in a text message when asked about the NPC’s stand on the speakership row between incumbent Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco.
And if Duterte, chair of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), asks to vote for his partymate Velasco, then the NPC would do so.
“If the President says so,” Sotto pointed out.
Sotto said the party will meet this Wednesday noon to brief him on the issues in the House.
“But I leave it up to the (NPC) members to decide,” he said.
Cayetano abruptly suspended the session on Tuesday, ahead of the anticipated speakership showdown with Velasco on October 14.
The House will resume its session on November 16.