House change in leadership

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano says P100 million was not allocated for congressmen, but for districts in the 2020 budget. The amount, he says, was varying based on submissions of the representatives.

He insists, however, that the amount is not pork barrel, which was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2013.

Pork barrel was the lumpsum funds legislators received supposedly for projects in their districts. Controversies, however, point to massive corruption of the funds siphoned through bogus non-government organizations.

President Rodrigo Duterte publicly naming who the next speaker of the House of Representatives will erode the lower house's independence, Rep. Carlos Zarate (Bayan Muna party-list) says after the president's announcement that Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (Taguig) would share the term of speaker with Rep. Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque).

"As expected, contrary to his previous statements letting members of the House to freely choose their leaders, Pres. Duterte 'stepped in' in the House speakership race to salvage his already` fractious coalition and, hopefully, secure its survival until 2022," he says in a press statement.

Zarate, a member of the Makabayan bloc at the House, says even with the term-sharing agreement brokered by the president, "the different factions and their political and economic backers are expected to still wage a war of dominance in the coming days, especially with 2022 presidential elections already in the political horizon."

He adds: "With this politics of convenience and presidential intervention, the independence of the House is again severely compromised and the interest of the majority of the people sacrificed." 

Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, the president's son, says he is no longer vying for the top spot at the House of Representatives.

"I have personally spoken to President Rodrigo Duterte Thursday night in Davao City regarding my plan to run for speaker of the House of Representatives. We both agreed that this will not be the right time for me to be Speaker and I can still help his administration from the House in a different capacity," the younger Duterte says. 

"As President of Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, I will support the bid for speakership of Congressman Isidro Ungab from our sister party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago," he adds.

As the rivalry for the speakership heats up, presidential children Rep. Paolo Duterte (Davao City) and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte form a "Duterte Coalition" as a call for unity at the House of Representatives. Paolo leads regional party-list Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod while Sara leads Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

Speaker hopefuls Reps. Alan Peter Cayetano (Taguig), Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque) and Martin Romualdez (Leyte) are also being urged to be part of the coalition. Velasco, however, is the endorsed nominee of ruling party PDP-Laban.

Other members of the coalition are Reps. Isidro Ungab (Davao City), Vincent Garcia (Davao City), Corazon Malanyaon (Davao Oriental), Manuel Zamora (Compostella Valley), Lorna Bautista (Davao Occidental), Claudine Bautista (Dumper party-list), Sandro Gonzales (Marino party-list) and Anton Lopez (Marino party-list).

Velasco and Romualdez, meanwhile, also welcome the formation of the coalition in separate statements.

Rep. Fredenil Castro (Capiz) says Congress will have a better relationship with Malacañang if Representative-elect Paolo Duterte (Davao City) becomes House speaker.

But Castro in an interview over ANC's "Early Edition" says that for now, he is supporting the speakership bid of Representative-elect Martin Romualdez (Leyte) as he is "the most qualified."

Rep. Cayetano says he already patched things up with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

The presidential daughter earlier claimed Cayetano made a "veiled threat" against her should she endorse Rep. Lord Allan Velasco's House speakership bid.

Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (Taguig City, 1st District) says Rep. Lord Allan Velasco's (Marinduque) claim that there was no term-sharing agreement is a lie as it was the latter who proposed it.

"When they found out I was running they ran to the president kasi nga may pangako na aftyer ni GMA, sila naman. Then naging term-sharing. Nung pumayag ang pangulo, at sabi niya si Alan muna, doon, ayaw na nila," Cayetano says in an interview over ANC's "Headstart."

#ANCHeadstart Cayetano: When they found out I was running they ran to the President kasi nga may pangako na aftyer ni GMA, sila naman. Then naging term-sharing. Nung pumayag ang pangulo, at sabi niya si Alan muna, doon, ayaw na nila.

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) July 1, 2019

"Wala naman kasi sa akin na nagsinungaling siya because politicians lie. But to call the president a liar by saying there's no such agreement, I won't take that sitting down. Velasco owes the president an apology."

Sen. Manny Pacquiao takes a break from his training in Los Angeles for the match against Keith Thurman next month to announce that PDP-Laban's official candidate for speaker of the House of Representatives is Rep. Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque), The STAR's Paolo Romero reports.

Representative-elect Paolo Duterte (Davao City), former Davao City vice mayor and the president's son, has recently been floated as a potential contender for speaker.

Duterte, however, previously said he was rooting for Rep. Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque) to lead the lower chamber.

President Duterte last week also vowed to step down should his eldest son succeed House Speaker Gloria Arroyo.

"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," Duterte said. (Photo from Paolo Duterte)

The Liberal Party and Vice President Leni Robredo criticize the selection of Rep. Danilo Suarez as House minority leader.

LP says his tight grip on the post has tarnished the entire House of Representatives "with the image of being fake, subservient, and uncritical."

Robredo, meanwhile, expresses dismay over the turn of events, pointing out  that Suarez has voted for Rep. Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo as speaker.

Under the Rules of the House of Representatives adopted by the 17th Congress, members who voted for the winning candidate for speaker shall constitute the Majority in the House.

"Malinaw itong paglabag sa mga patakaran ng Kamara, na nagtatakdang ang lahat ng bumoto para sa nanalong Speaker ay bahagi dapat ng Majority. Paano maaasahan ang independence ng ganitong uri ng 'Minority,' na binuo, hindi ayon sa takdang paraan, kundi dahil sa pahintulot ng mayorya?" Robredo adds.

LP says it is thinking about bring the matter before the courts.

"Despite this development, we, the Liberal Party members and our allies, will function as the real opposition bloc that is responsible and representative, carrying the voice of the people in issues such as the rising prices of commodities, extra-judicial killings, and unjust taxes."

House affirms Rep. Danilo Suarez (Quezon) as minority leader, ending the weekslong dispute over the minority bloc.

The vote was conducted via viva voce or voice voting with 214 congressmen marked present in the plenary session.

The motion was put forward by Majority Leader Rolando Andaya, a report says, in a voting where objections were not entertained.

JUST IN : House recognizes Rep Danilo Suarez as retained Minority Leader which ends the dispute over the Minority bloc; viva voce or voice voting was conducted, and presiding officer Rep. Castro says the ayes outnumber the nays @News5AKSYON

— Pat Mangune TV5 (@PatMangune) August 7, 2018

Senior Liberal Party member Rep. Kaka Bag-ao (Dinagat Islands) says membership of the "new House minority" is growing with the addition of Rep. Emmanuel Billones (Capiz) and Rep. Vicente "Kulit" Alcala (Quezon). 
 
The two have applied and have been accepted by Rep. Miro Quimbo (Marikina City), who is considered as the minority leader of the said bloc. 

The increase in membership "proves our legitimacy in the House, and shows that this new Minority is one that is worthy of the promise of democracy to our people," Bag-ao says.  

"I am certain that more of our colleagues will express their intention to join us. After all, with the change in the House leadership, many of us are hopeful that democratic processes will finally be upheld. This includes opening our institution to diverse perspectives on issues to bring out the best policies for the people—which was not the case during the previous tenure of former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and his former Minority Leader Danilo Suarez."

The House of Representatives on Monday adjourns without settling who the real minority in the chamber is.

The groups of Reps. Romero Quimbo (Marikina City), Danilo Suarez (Quezon) and Rodolfo Fariñas (Ilocos Norte) are all claiming to be the minority bloc in the chamber.

The reshuffle in the composition of the House leadership is precipitated by Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's election as speaker last week and the ouster of Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (Davao Del Norte) from the speaker's office.

Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. (Camarines Sur) is the new House of Representatives’ majority leader.

Andaya is elected at the ongoing session at the Congress, News5 reports. He takes the seat formerly occupied by Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas (Ilocos Norte, 1st District).

Meanwhile, members of the Makabayan bloc have been accepted as part of the “minority” bloc composed of Liberal Party solons and their allies.

Rep. Romero Quimbo (Marikina) says this in a letter addressed to House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Reps. Antonio Tinio and France Castro (ACT-Teachers party-list), Arlene Brosas and Emmi De Jesus (Gabriela party-list), Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna party-list), Ariel Casilao (Anakpawis party-list), and Sarah Jane Elago (Kabataan party-list) have joined the Quimbo-led faction laying claim to the lower chamber’s official minority bloc.

The office of House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo releases photos of the courtesy visit of the ambassadors of Australia, South Korea and Myanmar on Saturday afternoon.

Her office says the visit was made to personally congratulate her.

LOOK | Australia, South Korea and Myanmar ambassadors pay a courtesy call on newly minted House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pic.twitter.com/s4UegxgtEF

— ONE News PH (@onenewsph) July 29, 2018

Rep. Arroyo is all smiles after she took her oath, the second time she did for the day. She earlier took an oath before President Duterte's SONA.

Rep. Arroyo is officially elected as the House speaker after 184 votes and 12 abstentions.

Here is our full story: House formally elects Arroyo as speaker

Members of the House clap loudly as the Mace of the House, which was missing earlier, is brought inside. The mace is a symbol of authority displayed at the foot of the speaker's rostrum whenever the House is in session.

House now doing a roll call of votes on whether Rep. Arroyo should be the next House speaker during a mace-less session. The House speakership had already been declared vacant.

The Mace of the House is a symbol of authority, which is displayed at the foot of the speaker's rostrum whenever the House is in session.

House now conducting a roll call of attendance amid reports that members of the lower chamber have stayed behind to elect a new leader.

House members are reported to be staying after the SONA to elect a new speaker. Earlier, a power struggle in the House leadership happened between Rep. Gloria Arroyo and Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.

Presidential daughter Sara Duterte was rumored to be behind the push for Arroyo to lead the lower chamber.