SPEAKER Martin Romualdez is set to step down today in favor of Isabela Rep. Faustino “Bojie” Dy amid calls for his removal following allegations of graft and corruption against some members of the House of Representatives who allegedly received kickbacks from flood control projects.
A reliable House insider who asked not to be identified said the Speaker will give way to Dy, a party mate of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) when the session resumes at 3 p.m.
The source said that while the Speaker has the support of majority of lawmakers, he has decided to relinquish his post in an effort to restore the public’s trust to the House as an institution.
Earlier yesterday, rumors that Romualdez is preparing to take a leave of absence to pave the way for an “acting” House leader swirled around the House.
Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, the most vocal critic of Romualdez, said a leadership change will only happen if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will give the greenlight.
Tiangco made the statement amid reports that Romualdez was in Malacañang with Majority Leader Sandro Marcos supposedly to discuss the matter with the President.
“Kanina pa yata (They’ve been there since earlier today),” Tiangco said in a text message late afternoon yesterday after some sources said Romualdez was taking a leave of absence in favor of Dy.
Tiangco said Romualdez will only be removed with the President’s go-signal.
“Alam naman natin reyalidad ng speakership. Wala ang pinaka-importanteng numero naman dito sa House of Representatives (We know the reality of the speakership. Their most important number is not here in the House of Representatives). Let’s accept that fact, the most important vote is not inside the House of Representatives,” he told reporters.
“Walang gagalaw dito, out of respect duon sa Malacañang, di ba? ‘Yun naman ang hinihintay ng lahat (No one will move here, out of respect to Malacañang, right? That’s what everybody is waiting for),” he added.
Yesterday’s plenary session was cut short after Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, deputy majority leader, moved to suspend the session until this afternoon.
The session was suspended amid the threat of Cavite Rep. Francisco Barzaga, who has declared his intention to challenge the Speaker’s post, to declare the position vacant.
Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno, chair of the National Unity Party (NUP), on Monday night said he does not know where the coup talks are coming from, but admitted having heard the name of Dy being mentioned by some of his colleagues as a possible contender for the House’s top post some three weeks ago.
The NUP chair however said he has not heard anything from Dy about aspiring for the post. “I don’t think he’s doing anything to pursue that,” Puno said, adding that Dy’s name may have floated since some of his colleagues do not want Bacolod Rep. Albee Benitez, an independent, to be the leader of the House.
“And he (Dy) belongs to the party of the President, the Partido Federal. Si Albee (Benitez) independent, so why pick somebody ‘di kasama sa minority or majority? (who is not part of the minority or the majority?” he said.
Tiangco said he has already told colleagues that he was not interested in the position of Speaker. “Wednesday to Thursday last week, may mga nagtatanong sakin (there were some who asked) If I would reconsider. I’ve already said hindi na, huwag na nila akong isama dun kasi pangit e kasi (no, don’t include me because it will look bad). I was the most vocal about the issue,” he said.
“Baka naman sabihin nila ginamit nila ang issue para maging Speaker ako di ba? Para mapatunayan na (They might say I’m using the issue). I just want to prove that it’s not about the Speakership but the real issue na kinagalit ng tao, ‘yun corruption (what the people hate, which is corruption),” he said.
Tiangco said the supposed plan to install Dy as acting Speaker will not sit well with the public.
“Again this is my humble opinion having one vote in this House, I don’t think leave would look good. Magli-leave ka ngayon bumalik na bukas, ‘yun ang ibig sabihin ng leave di ba? So baka hindi naman tanggapin ng mga tao yan (You’ll take a leave only to return tomorrow, that’s what a leave means, right? So the people may not accept that),” he said.
The 27-year-old Barzaga, who is facing an ethics complaint for his “disparaging” remarks against the House of Representatives and the Marcos administration in social media, said: “Fighting someone like Speaker Romualdez is practically political suicide. Only someone as crazy as me can do it.”
The neophyte lawmaker, however, denied that he is mentally ill after Puno the other night said he believes Barzaga is “unwell.”
Barzaga, a son of the late Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., former president of the NUP, said he has not been diagnosed of mental illness.
“I do not believe that I am unwell. I have not been diagnosed of any serious mental conditions that could lead me to be unable to be fit for service,” he said.
“I’m telling this now, I’m going to take Speaker Romualdez’s speakership and I hope Majority Leader Sandro Marcos won’t hold it against me and won’t stand in my way,” he added.
Barzaga said he has no obligation to release medical records because these “are purely confidential unless there’s a court order for me to submit medical records once I’m questioned of my sanity and my ability properly serve the people of my district, then I will submit my medical record.”
Puno has said that Barzaga, who is a known supporter of Vice President Sara Duterte, supposedly “stormed” the Office of Majority Leader Marcos to campaign for his speakership bid last Monday.
He likewise said Barzaga has to be disciplined for indiscriminately posting allegations of graft and corruption and insulting remarks against the Speaker, the President and even Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson.
Puno said even Cabinet members like Secretaries Vince Dizon of public works, Jesus Crispin Remulla of justice and his brother Jonvic Remulla of interior and local government and Gilbert Teodoro of defense were targeted by Barzaga in his posts.
He warned Barzaga faces potential violations of the Revised Penal Code (RPC), especially inciting to sedition, because of his posts that appear to urge the public to burn Congress down like what happened in Nepal.
Puno also slammed the young lawmaker for “displaying obscene and abusive contents” because of social media posts that degrade women, such as photos of skimpily clad girls, one of whom had her legs wrapped around the congressman’s neck.
