Arroyo set to secure Speakership behind 214 votes
FORMER president and Rep. Gloria Arroyo of Pampanga has secured 214 votes, which is enough to replace Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez of Davao del Norte as the fourth highest-ranking elected official in the country, an insider from the House of Representatives said on Monday.
A source, who has been a congressional staff for more than a decade, said the ouster plot against Alvarez was a go even if the House adjourned session at about 1 p.m.
“Two hundred fourteen [votes]for GMA [Arroyo’s monicker], give or take a few. But certainly, she has numbers [to topple]Alvarez,” the source said in an interview.
Another source, a House leader, revealed that the Alvarez-led all-majority caucus held after the adjournment of session at 1 p.m. failed to save Alvarez.
“At least 140 lawmakers were in that caucus. After the bathroom break, people did not return [to the caucus],” the House leader said.
It turned out that the lawmakers proceeded back to the plenary session hall about 1:30 p.m.
Tinio, in a separate talk, echoed the sentiments of his colleagues from the majority bloc and was preparing to run for Speakership to have a shot at leading the opposition bloc in the House.
“Definitely, there is a serious move to oust Speaker Alvarez. And yes, [I’m going to run for Speaker]. We are only seven [in Makabayan bloc], and between Alvarez and Arroyo, we have no alternative,” Tinio said.
“Once this [election of a new Speaker is over], then those who did not vote for the winning Speaker will have to decide who will be the Minority leader which is provided for under the House rules,” Tinio added.
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