Visayan bloc solons back Alvarez for House speaker

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The Visayan bloc, composed of about 30 congressmen from the Visayas, is the newest bloc to defect to the camp of Davao del Norte First District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as he sets his sight to the House speakership.

Alvarez is the candidate of presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte for speaker of the House for the incoming 17th Congress. He is expected to succeed Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of the ruling Liberal Party.

The Visayan bloc is composed of congressmen formerly allied with the Liberal Party. It is lead by Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Alfredo Benitez, who used to be LP provincial chairman in this province, but had supported presidential candidate Grace Poe in the recent elections.

Benitez said he and his fellow Visayan congressmen have signed the manifesto of support for the Duterte administration.

Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas, chairman of the Visayan bloc, said that majority of the Visayan congressmen are supporting Alvarez. He said their group signed the manifesto last Wednesday, and was forwarded to Alvarez on Saturday.

The manifesto states:  “We, the members of the Visayan Bloc, extend our cooperation and support to the incoming Duterte administration in its pursuit for the development and enactment of pro-people and developmental policies and programs for our country.”

It added: “The bloc also manifests its support to the speakership bid of Congressman Alvarez for the 17th Congress.”

Others who signed the manifesto were Negros Occidental (5th district) Rep. Alejandro Mirasol and outgoing Representatives Evelio Leonardia of Bacolod City and Pryde Henry Teves (3rd dist., Negros Oriental), who are both elected as mayors of Bacolod City and Bayawan City, respectively.

Incoming Negrense congressmen who also signed the manifesto were Reps. Greg Gasataya (Bacolod City); Melecio Yap Jr. (1st dist. Negros Occidental); Manuel Sagarbarria (2nd district, Negros Oriental); and Arnie Teves (3rd dist., Negros Oriental.

Other signatories from the Visayan bloc are: Reps. Jerry Treñas (Iloilo City); Richard Garin (1st dist., Iloilo); Arcadio Gorriceta (2nd dist., Iloilo); Arthur Defensor Jr. (3rd dist., Iloilo); Ferjenel Biron (4th dist., Iloilo); and Raul Boboy Tupas (5th dist., Iloilo);

Paulo Javier (Antique); Lucille Nava (Guimaras); Aileen Radaza (Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu); Gerard Gullas (1st dist., Cebu); Henry Ong (2nd dist., Leyte); Lucy Torres Gomez (4th dist., Leyte); Rene Relampagos (1st dist., Bohol); Cesar Sarmiento (Catanduanes); Ben Evardone (Eastern Samar); and Sharon Garin (Aambis-Owa party-list).

So far 25 Visayan bloc members have signed the manifesto but more are expected to do the same in the coming days.

Meanwhile, other blocs that defected to the Duterte camp ahead of the Visayan bloc are the Party-list Coalition, the Nacionalista Party, the National Unity Party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition and Lakas, the ruling party during the administration of then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. (BANAT NEWS)