FILE PHOTO: House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez. INQUIRER
MANILA, Philippines — The National Unity Party (NUP) endorsed on Thursday House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, cousin of presumptive president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 19th Congress.
NUP spokesperson Reginald Velasco said that the members of the party in the House have “unanimously agreed to endorse Romualdez as the Speaker for the coming Congress.”
Velasco said that the decision came in recognition of Romualdez’ “exemplary service as Majority Leader of the 18th Congress and his proven ability as a consensus builder for the different political parties in the House of Representatives.”
The NUP is one of the political parties accredited by the Commission on Elections as a major national political party in the 2022 elections.
Meanwhile, Romualdez has yet to react on the NUP endorsement.
He was reelected congressman in the 1st district of Leyte following the May 9 elections. It will be his fifth term as representative of his district.
Romualdez, who also served as campaign manager of presumptive Vice President Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio, was proclaimed at the Province of Leyte Old Legislative Building on Wednesday morning.
Romualdez is the son of former ambassador, the late former Leyte Gov. Benjamin “Kokoy” Romualdez, younger brother of former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos.