Martin Romualdez named caretaker of House seat vacated by new DPWH chief Roger Mercado

FILE PHOTO: House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez. INQUIRER

TACLOBAN CITY—Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez has been designated as caretaker of the lone congressional district of Southern Leyte.

The appointment of Romualdez, who is also majority floor leader of the House of Representatives, came in the wake of the appointment of incumbent Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado as public works secretary.

Mercado replaced Mark Villar who resigned to pursue his bid to become senator.

The House, through deputy majority floor leader and Camiguin Rep. Xavier Jesus Romualdo, named Romualdez as caretaker after Mercado officially informed Congress of his appointment as public works secretary last Nov. 9.

The lower chamber dropped Mercado’s name on the list of congressmen.

Prior to his appointment as public works secretary last Oct. 12, the 70-year-old Mercado filed his certificate of candidacy to run for the newly-created first congressional district of Southern Leyte.

But since Mercado was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to lead the Department of Public Works and Highways, his wife, Luz, would run in his stead.

In a visit to Maasin City, Mercado said he would continue all projects under the Build Build Build infrastructure program of the Duterte administration.

Mercado’s family is considered to be the most influential and dominating in Southern Leyte.

His brother, Damian, is the incumbent governor, while his son, Naccional, is mayor of Maasin.

TSB