BY WENDELL VIGILIA
SPEAKER Martin Romualdez yesterday defended the House of Representatives from what he said were threats and intimidation from “a dissatisfied few whose only intention is to sow divisiveness… just to get their own way.”
“Tatayo ako laban sa sinuman na mananakot sa atin para masunod lamang ang gusto nila (I will stand up against anyone who will threaten us just to get their own way),” he said in a speech at the resumption of the plenary session. “Wala pong personalan dito. Trabaho lang (There’s nothing personal here. It’s just work).”
Romualdez said that since he was elected Speaker, “it has always been this leadership’s rallying point to pursue unity and ensure a fair and equitable distribution of government resources for the development of our regions, regardless of political affiliations.”
“I emphasized then that the politics of division has no place in this chamber; this still holds to this day, only now I reiterate this with a stronger resolve and greater conviction,” he said.
He added: “But let it be said, never must we countenance or allow others not so likely-minded individuals who choose to malign or put down the image of this institution and dictate the direction we must go. I urge everyone to rally behind our true moral compass — the will of the Filipino people.”
Romualdez made the remarks in response to the death threats made by former president Rodrigo Duterte last month against members of the Makabayan bloc, particularly Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT) as he defended the request of his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, for a total of P650 million in confidential funds for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
The House of Representatives has realigned some P1.23 billion in confidential funds from several government agencies to efforts to boost security in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Among the agencies that were stripped of confidential funds under the House-approved version of the proposed P5.268 trillion national budget are the OVP (P500 million) and the DepEd (P150 million).
The elder Duterte was quoted as saying in an interview that the confidential funds for the DepEd requested by his daughter would be used for the reestablishment of the Reserve Officers Training Corps. (ROTC) and to fight off communist recruiters in the educational system.
He was also quoted as saying that he told his daughter that she should have been candid and told the Makabayan bloc that they are really the target of the confidential funds and that he wants to kill Castro and all groups he branded as communists.
He likewise accused Romualdez of attacking the Vice President for being perceived as a “good” presidential candidate in 2028 since the Speaker allegedly wants to run for president, adding that the House is the “most rotten” institution in the country with a “hidden pork barrel.”
In response to the elder Duterte’s tirades, Romualdez said: “As you are well aware, despite all the hard work we have done to accomplish the goals we have set, certain sectors or individuals with misplaced priorities choose to malign and tarnish the positive image of this very institution which we labored hard to achieve.”
He said that while House members hold different perspectives on various issues, they remain “steadfast as we set our differences aside and become fiercely united whenever the institution we courageously devote our efforts to, or any individual member of this chamber for that matter, is being threatened by opportunistic motives that aim to distract us from fulfilling our mandate.”
HRN 1414
Also yesterday, the House, acting as a Committee of the Whole, adopted Resolution No. 1414 “upholding the integrity of the House of Representatives and expressing appreciation, solidarity and support to the leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.”
The resolution was authored by Reps. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga, Roberto Puno of Antipolo, Camille Villar of Las Piñas, Ralph Recto of Batangas, Luis Raymund Villafuerte of Camarines Sur, Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte, Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, and Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan and other lawmakers.
The lawmakers said in the resolution that they are taking “exception to statements made that undermine the independence, integrity and reputation of the institution, more so when these statements are couched with threats or intimidation of physical harm to a sitting member of Congress.”
The resolution stressed that the “dignity of, integrity and reputation of the House of Representatives are of utmost importance and must be preserved at all times.”
“In these turbulent times, it is crucial for us to stand firmly behind our Speaker’s leadership, preserving the honor and integrity of the House of Representatives and pledging our allegiance and unity in opposition to any entity aiming to destabilize the core of our democratic institutions,” it also said.
Dalipe, in his sponsorship speech, said that while the House recognizes that legitimate criticisms “are but part of the organs of a democracy,” House members remain “unfazed” as they continue to “improve our delivery of our constitutionally mandated obligation to serve the people through legislation.”
Villafuerte said Romualdez “has managed to shepherd through the 300-plus strong House this early the final approval of all of the President’s priority bills for the year – three months ahead of schedule.”
The Villafuerte-led National Unity Party, which is the biggest power bloc in the House next to the Speaker’s Lakas-CMD, was among the political parties in the chamber that backed the realignment of confidential funds for the protection of the country’s interests in in the WPS.
Because the House had been converted into a hardworking, highly productive chamber on Romualdez’s watch, Villafuerte said this once-criticized legislative body has won public approval as one of the government’s top performers.
He noted that more than half of Filipinos approve of the House’s performance, based on the third quarter Ulat ng Bayan survey of Pulse Asia that showed a 54 percent approval rating for the chamber’s performance.
Camarines Sur Rep. Tsuyoshi Horibata said that under Romualdez’s leadership, the bigger chamber was able to pass a substantial number of measures “meant to further stimulate the economy post-pandemic and create more jobs and livelihood opportunities in step with the Marcos administration’s goal of inclusive high growth.”
For his part, Libanan said the House “should never countenance assaults against the integrity of the House of the People and its leadership.”
“With Speaker Romualdez at the helm, we gave been able to navigate the labyrinth of the legislative process and produce quality legislation,” said the minority leader.
