Paolo drops speakership bid, endorses Ungab

DAVAO CITY –, Philippines  —  This city’s third district Rep. Isidro Ungab has just strengthened his bid to become speaker of the House of Representatives.

President Duterte’s son Paolo, a representative of this city, has joined the party formed by his sister, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, in supporting Ungab’s bid for speaker.

Paolo, who had threatened to seek the speaker’s post himself, said he discussed the matter with President Duterte last Thursday. They agreed that the time has not yet come for Paolo, a neophyte congressman, to lead the House.

“I can still help his administration from the House in a different capacity,” Paolo said in a statement yesterday.

Earlier, the neophyte House member was reported to have formed the Davao Coalition in the House, where members have crossed party lines as the race for speaker intensifies ahead of the President’s July 22 State of the Nation Address.

“I will support the bid for speakership of Congressman Isidro Ungab from our sister party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP),” said Paolo, who is president of the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod (HTL).

Paolo said the President has been informed of Ungab’s participation in the race for speaker.

Despite Ungab’s formidable backing, Reps. Martin Romualdez of Leyte, Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig-Pateros and Lord Allan Velasco of Marinduque are not dropping out of the speakership race.

“As members of the House of Representatives, (HNP) and (HTL) hope to unite the House. We have created the Duterte Coalition and we wish to invite everyone to join this group of lawmakers who believe in positive change,” the group said.

The Duterte Coalition, group members said, is a partnership of public servants who are committed to institute governance and development reforms that are necessary for the Philippines to secure its rightful place in the world stage of nations, particularly in Southeast Asia.

The coalition includes Reps. Vincent Garcia, Corazon Malanyaon, Manuel Zamora, Lorna Bautista, Claudine Bautista as well as Marino party-list Reps. Sandro Gonzales and  Anton Lopez.

Shoo-in

Veteran lawmakers said the President’s statement and his children’s support indicate Duterte’s blessing on their efforts to end the divisive speakership quarrel by endorsing Ungab as a compromise candidate.

The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) group of Velasco earlier supported HNP’s endorsement of Ungab.

“As of Friday night, at least 200 have committed themselves to be part of the coalition and sign our manifesto of unity for positive change and for continued support for the administration of President Duterte,” a member of the Duterte Coalition, who asked not to be named, told The STAR yesterday.

The source said besides Paolo and his core group, among the first to sign the unity document were lawmakers from Mindanao.

With Ungab as compromise candidate, HNP has proposed that Cayetano takes the position of majority leader, Velasco as chairman of the committee on appropriations and Romualdez takes over from his wife Yedda, who headed the committee on accounts in the last Congress.

The source also said Paolo and Ungab met with Velasco Friday night in Davao City. Among those who attended the meeting, the source added, were Reps. Aurelio Gonzales Jr., who is PDP-Laban executive vice president, and Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur, a PDP-Laban member.

The source said Velasco was inclined to accept Ungab’s offer to be majority leader. – With Jess Diaz