Duterte lays hands off House Speaker race
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Thu, 30 May 2019 08:21:32 +0000
DUTERTE
TOKYO, Japan – President Duterte met here on Wednesday the three candidates for House Speaker in the 18th Congress.
Duterte met Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, incoming Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, and incoming Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter S. Cayetano.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the meeting was a courtesy call.
He said the President would unlikely not interfere with the affairs of the House of Representatives.
“No I don’t think he would interfere. In fact, I was present during one of the courtesy calls made by the two of them in the Palace and I heard the President say you’ll have to do it yourselves boys, I will not interfere. May the best win,” he said.
Senator-elect Christopher Go also said that the President did not want to interfere in the affairs of the House of Representatives.
“Ayaw sana makialam ng Pangulo kasi parehong magagaling na mambabatas,” he said. “Pero nag kasundo ang tatlo na pag-isipan muna sana ng Pangulo para maka-trabaho na ang Kongreso pag-umpisa ng kanilang termino,” he added.
Reelected Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez is also one of the candidates for House Speaker. His seat was taken from him when the House declared his position vacant during a coup staged by majority of congressmen last July.
Malacañang had earlier said that Duterte would allow the House of Representatives to choose their own leader.
However on Monday, Duterte said he would step down if his son, incoming Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, runs for House Speaker.
“Itong si Paolo, sabihin ko sa kanya if you run for speakership, let me know. Kasi kung tatakbo ka magreresign ako kasi marami na tayo. Andiyan yung kapatid mo mayor,” he said a day before he flew to Tokyo.
The younger Duterte, however, said his father may have been fed the wrong information, saying he has no intention to fill the coveted position. “I did not say I want to be Speaker… May nagkamali nanaman bulong sa tenga mo Mr. President,” Paolo said. (Argyll Geducos)