House abuzz with talk of Speaker’s looming exit
The Batasang Pambansa was abuzz with talk of Speaker Martin Romualdez possibly stepping down as leader of the 300-member chamber on Tuesday afternoon, but nothing happened as the plenary decided to suspend the session until today without any action taken regarding the House leadership.
Unlike last week, when the House leadership closed ranks around Romualdez, several lawmakers reached by the Inquirer now say they believe the speakership may soon be “open”—not through a coup but through Romualdez vacating his seat by taking a leave of absence.
The problem, however, is that there is no specific provision under the House rules allowing for a “leave of absence” from a leadership post, said Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco.
The closest is Section 14 (A), which states that if the Speaker is “absent or temporarily incapacitated,” the deputy speakers can choose among themselves who can assume his or her duties.
Romualdez, who represents Leyte’s first congressional district, has been parrying coup rumors amid the ongoing controversy surrounding anomalous flood control projects under the administration of President Marcos, his first cousin. These projects were being linked to some House lawmakers who were contractors themselves or who had colluded with construction firms for kickbacks.
Last week, Romualdez said the testimony in the Senate by contractors Pacifico “Curlee” and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya claiming that his name was used by individuals to obtain commissions from their infrastructure projects was “false, malicious, and nothing more than name-dropping.”
The Speaker had said that if anyone had used his name to get funding from projects, they did it without his knowledge and permission.
“I will not allow falsehoods to tarnish my integrity or the institution I lead. Under my watch, we will clean the system, punish the guilty, and protect the people’s money,” he added.
Curlee Discaya later clarified in a House hearing that he did not have a “direct transaction” with Romualdez and another House member being linked to the anomalies, Ako Bicol party list Rep. Elizaldy Co.
“All of what I said was just to complete my sworn statement,” said the businessman. “I mentioned those names because that’s what the politicians I talk with often say.’’
Malacañang meeting
A lawmaker belonging to the minority, who asked not to be named in this report, said they heard about the possibility of Romualdez taking a leave after the Speaker and Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, the President’s son, went to Malacañang on Tuesday afternoon for a meeting with Mr. Marcos.
This, the lawmaker said, explained why Tuesday’s session was surprisingly sparse—compared to Monday’s session which was attended by 215 lawmakers, more than enough for a majority to install a new speaker—despite talks of a possible leadership change.
By 3:29 p.m., just 29 minutes after Tuesday’s session commenced, Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong moved to suspend the session until Wednesday afternoon.
There were talks that Deputy Speaker and Isabela Rep. Faustino Dy III—who belongs to another powerful political clan close to the Marcoses—could “take over” the speakership while Romualdez is supposedly on leave.
However, another lawmaker from the majority said that part of the stalemate was because neither Dy nor the other names being floated as possible challengers— including Tiangco, Bacolod City Rep. Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez, Cebu Rep. Duke Frasco and Antipolo City Rep. Ronaldo Puno—did not yet have the numbers to force a formal change.
Tiangco, Benitez and Frasco belong to an independent bloc supporting Mr. Marcos but is critical of Romualdez.
Puno, on the other hand, was the figurehead behind an attempt to return the 2026 National Expenditure Program back to the Department of Budget and Management, which was assailed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
Under House rules, the Speaker shall be elected by a majority vote of all the members—or in the 20th Congress’ case, majority of the 315 House members—through nominal voting.
But Tiangco was more direct: “The most important vote is not inside the House of Representatives. Out of respect to Malacañang, nobody would dare make a move. That’s what we’re all waiting for. We are supportive of the President so we don’t want to make any unwarranted moves.”
Support from Negros
The Speaker still found support from most lawmakers in Negros Island Region (NIR).
Negros Occidental Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (fourth district) said that as of Monday night, nine of the 12 representatives from NIR had signed the manifesto supporting Romualdez’s continued leadership.
Negros Occidental Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (sixth district) had yet to sign the manifesto as she had to rush to the airport for a family emergency on Monday, but she assured the group of her support for Romualdez, Ferrer said.
The signatories from Negros Occidental were Representatives Julio Ledesma IV (first district), Alfredo Marañon II (second district), Jeffrey Ferrer (fourth district) and Emilio Bernardino Yulo (fifth district).
The others were Negros Oriental Representatives Emmanuel Iway (first district), Ma. Isabel Sagarbarria (second district) and Janice Degamo (third district); and Siquijor Rep. Zaldy Villa.
Bacolod’s Albee Benitez and his son, Negros Occidental Rep. Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez (third district), did not sign the manifesto.
The NIR representatives said they were standing firmly behind Romualdez, whom they said listens to the concerns of the NIR and ensures that “its voice is heard in the councils of the nation.”
“The creation of the Negros Island Region is more than a law—it is a promise to our people. It carries the hope of faster progress, stronger unity, and a better future for Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. For this promise to be kept, we need a Congress that is steady, purposeful, and led with vision,” they said.
Albee Benitez, reacting to the other NIR representatives’ support for Romualdez, said he made it clear from the start that he was an “independent” and believed that Romualdez should step down.
“I did not support Speaker Romualdez for the speakership, and I maintain that position. To continue expressing support for him now would only be seen as condoning and protecting him,” Benitez said.
Benitez said he understood why some of his fellow NIR representatives signed the manifesto. “They are simply trying to ensure that their districts will not suffer, and I respect that,” he said.
Javi Benitez, on the other hand, said there was no need for him to sign the manifesto since he voted for Romualdez during their inaugural session and had not resigned from the majority in the House. —WITH A REPORT FROM CARLA P. GOMEZ
