Speakership race for No. 2 heats up

Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (left) and San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora: Main contenders for the post of Minority Leader. congress.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines—The battle for Minority Leader of the House of Representatives is heating up with one of the contenders, San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, receiving the support of around 15 district and party-list lawmakers, according to Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II.

Zamora’s rival for the post is Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats.

Zamora and Romualdez are both expected to run against Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte, the House leader in the last Congress who is considered to be a shoo-in this term. The one who comes in behind Belmonte will be the next minority leader.

Belmonte’s election is a certainty since the House is dominated by his Liberal Party mates.

Gonzales on Tuesday said he had spoken with Zamora who told him he had the support of around five district congressmen, including three from the administration-allied Nacionalista Party, and 10 party-list lawmakers.

The seven-member militant Makabayan bloc of party-list groups will go for Zamora, Gonzales said.

But the militant lawmakers themselves said they had not made up their minds about whom to support for Speaker. The leftist group was with the majority in the 15th Congress.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said that Makabayan—to which his group belongs—remained open to supporting any of the three candidates for Speaker.

However, he said, the fact that Romualdez’s party, the Lakas-CMD, was also the party of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and was affiliated with former first lady turned Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos would weigh on Makabayan’s decision.

The militant lawmakers had been very critical of the 2001-2010 Arroyo administration and the 1972-1986 dictatorship of Ferdinand E. Marcos.

Makabayan is composed of militant party-list groups Bayan, Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Kabataan and ACT Teachers.

Earlier, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares confirmed Makabayan had met with Zamora and with Lakas-CMD’s Danilo Suarez who both sought the bloc’s support in the speakership race, with Suarez, a former congressman, making a pitch on Romualdez’s behalf.

But Colmenares said no final decision had been made.

Makabayan will hold a national executive council meeting next week to tackle the matter, said Gabriela Rep. Luz Ilagan.

As for Romualdez, officials of Lakas said earlier the party was determined to lead the minority in the House and they were talking to several other lawmakers to get their support.