House leaders on Alvarez vote-buying allegations: ‘Congressmen are not cheap’

Credit to Author: GLEE JALEA| Date: Wed, 29 May 2019 05:49:44 +0000

DAYS after Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez disclosed an ongoing money race between two other aspirants for the speakership, incumbent officials of the House of Representatives were quick to refute the allegations, claiming that “congressmen are not for sale,” neither are they “cheap.”

Majority Leader Fredenil Castro told CNN Philippines in an interview on Wednesday that congressmen were not “cheap in a sense that they have an integrity to maintain.”

“There’s no payout of P500,000 to P1 million. That’s not true,” Minority Leader Danilo Suarez said, a day after Alvarez claimed that the price of each vote at the House ranged from P500,000 to P1 million.

Although Alvarez refused to name the two lawmakers, speculation swirled that he was referring to Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco—said to be Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s personal choice; and minority-backed Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Velasco denied allegations that he was giving out P1 million and doubted whether any congressman would resort to “wheeling and dealing” in exchange for his colleagues’ support.

Meanwhile, The Manila Times reached out to Romualdez but has not yet received any response from him as of posting time.

Romualdez has secured more than 150 House votes, Suarez said but added that the decision of lawmakers who signed the manifesto of support may still depend on the endorsement of President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Other candidates for speakership are Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. and former Foreign Affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.

The House will elect its new Speaker to replace Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on July 22, when the 18th Congress opens.

Arroyo replaced Alvarez who was ousted in 2018.

 

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