ra xtfiara ur& rllraDrttr
N ext speaker must have
? f congressmen learned anvthing
I tom'iast year's House splaker-
I ship coup, its that the next leader
I otthe 3o4-member chambermust
have icceptability and must not be
rdivisive-
, 'Acceptability is very signifrcant, af-
ter the candidal,e will be iudged based
al.l"
on his personality and the motivation for
his nmning," Oriental Mindoro 1st dis-
l.rict Rep. Doy Leachon said Sunday.
"Lessons from the recent change of
Ilouse leadership are material - that
louse members are inclined to support a
National News
leaderwho lmows well his members and
their neefls and sentiments. Someone
that they can always confrde with with-
out polilicat barriers or considerations, r'
Leachon, chairman of the House Com-
mittee on Justice, said, referring to the
headline-grabbing ouster of Davao del
Norte lst district Rep. PantaleonAlvarez
as speaker in July 2018.
Former President, Pampanga 2nd
district Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
was chosen as tlte new speaker in place
of Alvarez, whose bruising style of
leadership had supposedly rubbed his
colleagues the wrong way. In the end,
the Mindanao lziwrnaker only served as
:.
speakef for the first and second regular
sessions of the 17th Congress.
There are around half a dozen
House members Wing for the speaker-
ship in the ISth Congress.
Fdr his part, Negros Oriental 3rd
district Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. said the
aspirants should not onlybe acceptable, ,
but also have the support of the majority
. of their colleagues
"Everybody is acceptable, but one
has more numbers," lbves said, without
naming anyone in parlicular.
. "Congressman Martin is the most
"ff there will be no chosen one lby
Mahcanangl,then the one with rnost
numbers, meaning more acceptable to
" PAg.d - 4"
Monday, June 17,201(
acceptabili
more members, will have a betterchance
lat becoming speakerl," he noted.
Earlien House MinorityLeader and
Quezon 3rd district Rep. Danilo Suarez
said a manifesto of support with at least
153 congressmen's signature has been
circulating to express support for the
speakership bid of incoming Leyte lst
district Rep. Martin.Romualdez, on
Gondition that President Duterte rion't
endorse any.candidale.
acceptable, competent and experienced
among the candidales in the speaker-
ship race. Martin is the corrgressman of
the congressmen and has been enjoying'
the support of our colleagues," sai
Suarez, who last month was electe,
Quezon governor.
Meanwhile. A.lbay 2nd district Retr
Joey Sa.lceda said Romualdez's trac.
record and admirable persuasion skill
will become an asset to the Dutertr
administxation's pursuit of the needer
reforms to guarantee the countri
economic takeoff.
Romualdez is fte presitlent of thr
Philippine Constitution Associatior
(Philconsa) antl poliiical party Lakas
Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD)
He was the llouse Independent Blor
leader of the l6th Congress.