Paolo as House speaker? Duterte threatens to quit

Alvarez giving up bid for Rody’s son

MANILA, Philippines — Ousted as House speaker and seeking a comeback in the 18th Congress, Pantaleon Alvarez says he is prepared to give up his bid in favor of President Duterte’s eldest son Paolo.

But President Duterte immediately shot down the proposal, saying yesterday that he would resign if Paolo, who has been elected as representative of Davao City, would seek the speaker’s post.

“If you run, let me know. Mag-resign ako. Marami na tayo (I will resign. There are too many of us already),” Duterte said in remarks addressed to Paolo at a mass oath-taking of government officials at Malacañang.

He was apparently referring to members of his family who are occupying government positions after winning in the May 13 midterm polls.

Alvarez has voiced support for the prospect of the younger Duterte taking the helm of the House of Representatives, even at the expense of his own ambition to reclaim the top House post. Alvarez lost his speakership to Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in July 2018, reportedly in a power struggle instigated by the President’s daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

“If congressman Paolo runs for speaker, I will support him,” Alvarez told ANC. “Yes, I will withdraw from the race and I will support him 100 percent.”

President Duterte emphasized that while he is averse to seeing his son Paolo assume the speakership, he is taking a neutral stand and would not intervene in the squabble over the prized position.

“Speakership, neutral ako. My son Paolo, he’s being rooted to run. I will tell my son publicly now, we would have a talk,” the President said.

The younger Duterte, however, posted on Facebook that he had never expressed intention to be House speaker.

“Puede ba tubag ani (Could I reply to this)? PULONG TO PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I DID NOT SAY I WANT TO BE SPEAKER,” Paolo said in his post. He said somebody must have fed his father wrong information.

In his remarks yesterday, Duterte lamented that the presidency has become some kind of an endurance test.

“Lahat ng sakit tinatapon sa akin. Sabi ko nga sa Diyos, ano ba ang presidency, patagalan sa mundo (I got all the diseases. I asked God, ‘what’s this presidency all about? Test of stamina in this life?)”

Carpio earlier said that as to her brother’s seeking the speakership, it would be up to the President – the family patriarch – to decide on the matter.

The President admitted he indeed had discussed the speakership issue separately with his former foreign affairs chief and now Taguig congressman-elect Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco during the campaign for the May 13 polls.

Duterte also said he had discussed the matter with Alvarez and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.

But the President clarified he had never promised support to anyone with speakership ambition.

Alvarez earlier told The STAR that he indeed had met the President and informed him of his desire to be speaker again. Alvarez said he would abide by whatever is decided by the President.

Davao Oriental Rep. Joel Mario Almario told The STAR a majority of the congressmen are just waiting instruction from the President as to his choice of speaker.

“We are just awaiting instructions. But those who are interested have started talking to us already,” said Almario, who ran unopposed in the recent polls.

Marinduque’s Velasco has also admitted he is gunning for the speakership.

“If the Lord wills it,” Velasco said.

“If God gives it to me, I will accept the responsibility, and I will really work hard as speaker, if ever,” he earlier told The STAR.

Velasco had acted as emcee in almost all the 73 rallies and sorties of the Hugpong ng Pagbabago, chaired by the presidential daughter.

‘What delicadeza?’

Alvarez, meanwhile, said he sees nothing wrong with Paolo Duterte, a former Davao City vice mayor, assuming the speaker’s post.

“Delicadeza? So what if he’s the son of the President? If he can prove that he will be a good speaker to all of us, and becomes a very good leader, then why don’t we give him a chance to prove himself,” he said.

In a related development, outgoing House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez disclosed that Romualdez apparently is the frontrunner among those vying for the top House post.

“Martin has the numbers. I do not have the exact figures because more congressmen are signing the manifesto of support every day, but he has the comfortable numbers to be elected speaker,” the Quezon congressman said, noting the list has exceeded 126 signatures.

Suarez, Romualdez’s partymate in the Lakas-CMD, said that if the congressmen’s personal choice were to be considered, then Romualdez has the obvious advantage over his closest rival Velasco.

“All things equal, Martin is the personal choice of the congressmen,” he said.

But another contender, reelected Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales, is also said to enjoy the trust and confidence of his fellow House members, and is seen a “uniting” speaker.

“A lot of congressmen would be really happy to see Dong (Gonzales’ nickname) become the speaker. He is a very down-to-earth person and a very good friend to all. Barkada ng lahat iyan. Walang masamang tinapay sa taong iyan,” a close friend who requested anonymity said.

“He will be a uniting speaker,” the source said, adding Gonzales would be a better alternative to the other aspirants in the event of a free-for-all, not only because he is from PDP-Laban but also because of his strong rapport with many lawmakers.

The source said Gonzales could easily navigate through various partisan and interest groups to secure support for important pieces of legislation.

Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said he would want senator and incoming Antique Rep. Loren Legarda to get appointed as House appropriations committee chair.

Dominguez voiced his wish at a briefing by economic managers for senators on the disbursement of the 2018 national budget. He thanked Legarda for her chairmanship of the Senate finance committee and wished her well on her new stint as a member of the House in the coming 18th Congress.

“You certainly have contributed a lot to our economic programs… I think I speak for the rest of the economic team,” Dominguez told the senator.

Dominguez said it would be good if Legarda would have a “leadership position (in the House) in the finance area.”

“Is that an endorsement or a recommendation? But I’m not the appointing authority,” Legarda chuckled.

The senator later told reporters she was open to chairing the House committee but stressed she is ready to work and do her best in any other panel.

“It’s (finance committee) been my job for the past four years and I think I’ve a very good working relationship with the economic team. It’s really up to the leadership of the big house,” she said.

Legarda also said she was not aspiring to be speaker of the House even if her name has been repeatedly mentioned as a possible contender.

“With regard to the job, I know I can do it but with regard to the aspiration to be speaker, it’s not in my radar,” she said. – With  Edith Regalado, Paolo Romero