The Partido Demokratiko Pilipinas-Lakas ng Bayan, the largest political party in the House of Representatives, has practically abandoned its bid to win the speakership race by announcing that it is now open to the term-sharing proposal allegedly being pushed by eight members of President Duterte’s Cabinet.
Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, PDP-Laban president, said the party’s nominee for speaker, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, has been assured of huge support from his colleagues.
Notwithstanding Velasco’s apparent edge over all rivals for the speakership, the party is still considering their bet to give up half of a three-year term for speaker.
“To help settle the issue of House Speaker which has been dragging for a considerable period of time, the PDP-Laban, which is the majority party, is open to the idea of term-sharing, provided its nominee, Cong. Lord Allan Velasco, goes first since he already has an overwhelming number of members of Congress supporting him,” said Pimentel in a statement issued late yesterday afternoon.
Former House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and current Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza said Cabinet officials were clearly behind the revival of the term-sharing proposal that had already been abandoned by President Duterte.
Atienza said eight Cabinet men have been pressuring Duterte to reconsider his decision and endorse anew a term-sharing between Velasco and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, formerly a Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
It was noted that Velasco has been assured of at least 84 votes from his PDP-Laban colleagues and another 28 from the Nationalist People’s Coalition that has declared support for the Marinduque lawmaker.
The Partylist Coalition Foundation Inc., the second biggest political bloc with 54 members, has declared it will vote as a group to support a single candidate for speaker.
The PCFI has reduced its choice to only two – Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and Velasco.
Velasco backers said he is assured of at least 166 votes out of the maximum 153 to win the speakership race. (Ben R. Rosario)
