Ortega says no House leadership changes, solons solid behind Romualdez

Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega —HOR FB PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Deputy Speaker and La Union Representative Paolo Ortega has disputed claims of an impending leadership change in the House of Representatives, saying that such talks are merely gossip and hearsay.

Ortega in an ambush interview on Wednesday categorically stated that there will be no leadership changes, adding that top House officials are solidly behind House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

“I think the photo will speak for itself na kitang-kita namang nagkakaisa po ang House of Representatives at saka ang mga party leaders,” Ortega said, referring to a photo he uploaded showing party leaders, including Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, meeting with Romualdez.

(I think the photo will speak for itself, we have seen that the House of Representatives is united, along with its party leaders.)

READ: Romualdez: I never accepted bribes

“There is no change of leadership […] Well, maraming chismis, pero sabi ko nga, chismis, mga bulong-bulong. Pero, as you can see, the House is one, the House is solid, and there is no change in leadership,” Ortega added.

(There is no change of leadership […] Well, there are many rumors, but these are rumors and murmurs. But as you can see, the House is one, the House is solid, and there is no change in leadership.)

According to Ortega, there were several lawmakers who received calls about possible changes to the leadership, but the people making calls supposedly refused to identify who they are or for who their superiors are.

Ortega also did not mention who among the lawmakers confirmed receiving calls.

“Tawag lang ’yung naririnig ko, tawag-tawag lang […] na, may tumatawag sa ibang members. Pero hindi rin nagpapakilala. Hindi ako tinawagan eh, sabi-sabi lang ng mga ibang members. Pero nothing concrete, parang nag-start po ito before pa ng 20th Congress. Same na mga parang sentiments,” he said.

(I’ve only heard about calls that some members have received. But the callers did not introduce themselves. I wasn’t called, so I wouldn’t know, but the House members said that they were called. But there is nothing concrete, this seems to have started even before the 20th Congress. Same sentiments.)

“Well, most of them are using the name of the mga bosses, kung sinu-sinong pangalan ang ginagamit pero sabi ko nga, eh ’pag hearsay, mahira maniwala,” he added.

(Well, most of them are using the name of the mga bosses, many names were mentioned, but as I said, if these are hearsay, it would be hard to believe it.)

It is not clear where the talks of a leadership change are coming from, but Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco told ABS-CBN News Channel on Tuesday that there are talks of a leadership shakeup in the House.

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Rumors about a supposed change in the House came after former Senate President Francis Escudero was replaced by returning Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

Sotto took over Escudero’s post amid criticisms of the latter, after a contractor whose firm got a lot of infrastructure projects donated P30 million for his senatorial bid in 2022.

Escudero admitted this in a press briefing, while Centerways Construction and Development Inc. president Lawrence Lubiano told the House that he indeed donated P30 million to Escudero’s campaign chest.

Romualdez has not been linked to any contractor, but he has received criticisms after contractor-couple Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya accused several House lawmakers of receiving bribes—allegedly receiving a percentage of public funds supposedly allocated to infrastructure projects.

Curlee Discaya told the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Monday that aside from this, individuals asked for a 25 percent cut that would supposedly be given to Romualdez and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co.

Romualdez called out the Discaya couple’s claims, calling it “false, malicious, and nothing more than name-dropping.”

According to the Speaker, if anyone used his name to get funding from projects, they did it without his knowledge and permission. Furthermore, the Speaker said he is a self-made individual, and has never accepted any bribe from anyone. /cb