Tiangco, Benitez, Frasco mull possible House independent bloc

Philippine Daily Inquirer/Marianne Bermudez

MANILA, Philippines — Initially seen as contenders for the House Speakership in the 20th Congress, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, Bacolod Rep. Albee Benitez, and Cebu Rep. Duke Frasco may form a possible independent minority bloc of three.

This after the three abstained from voting for the reelection of Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez as Speaker of the 20th Congress—while also declaring themselves as part of neither majority nor minority.

“There have been certain exchanges of communication (between us), but…this just happened. Let’s see where we go from here,” Benitez told reporters shortly after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA).

“Let’s put politics aside,” echoed Tiangco. “What’s important is that we’re independents, meaning, we can make our own independent stances.”

READ: Minority bloc expands, new independent groups emerge in 20th Congress 

Both, however, made it clear that they still supported President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration—just not the current House leadership.

As such, an alliance with the pro-Duterte, Davao lawmakers led by Rep. Paolo Duterte who also declared themselves independent remains only a distant possibility.

“So far, we haven’t talked with them (the Duterte bloc) yet…it might be difficult especially when we are going in different directions. We still believe and we’d go all out for the (Marcos) administration,” Benitez explained.

In a separate statement, Frasco also emphasized his “strong support” for  Marcos’ legislative priorities.

During the opening of the first regular session Monday, Romualdez sailed uncontested toward a second term as House Speaker, with a comfortable 269 votes in favor against 34 lawmakers who abstained from the voting.

Tiangco, Benitez, and Frasco shared their disdain over what they see as a “bungled” 2025 national budget, which was riddled with irregularities that they say paved the way for social welfare programs to be politicized.

The budget was overseen by allies of Romualdez who insisted that the entire process was aboveboard.

Frasco, who was deputy speaker during the 19th Congress, said his decision was “grounded not in political convenience, but in principle and in my view of what the institution urgently needs: leadership that restores public trust, upholds the integrity of Congress, and reinforces the President’s piorities with urgency and purpose.” /gsg