(Eagle News) — Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), the regional party headed by presidential daughter and Davao City mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, has endorsed its own candidate for House Speakership.
The party’s nominee is 3rd district Davao City Representative Isidro Ungab directly challenging both the administration party PDP-Laban’s nominee, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, and Sara’s brother, presidential son, Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo Duterte.
“We understand if President (Rodrigo) Duterte, because of delicadeza, will not accept the intent of our brother from Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, Congressman Paolo Duterte, to resolve the conflict among candidates,” the HNP party statement said Wednesday.
HNP said Ungab should be the next House Speaker as he had already held the chairmanship of both the Ways and Means, and the Appropriations committees, and had been a four-term lawmaker.
It had even suggested that the others gunning for the speakership post just settle for other lower posts.
“We suggest that Cong. Alan Peter Cayetano take the Majority Leader position, Cong. Lord Alan Velasco to take the Appropriations Committee, and Cong. Martin Romualdez to head the Accounts Committee,” HNP said.
For his part, Ungab accepted the HNP’s nomination, saying that he hoped “everyone will aim for and work towards unity.”
“I abide by the decision of our party Hugpong ng Pagbabago. HNP is ready and open to work with everyone. HNP hopes that everyone will aim for and work towards unity and cooperation in order to establish a strong and efficient House. Rest assured that HNP has a vision of a House that will truly work for and serve the best interest and welfare of the Filipino people,” he said.
The HNP statement did not include in its line up of possible takers for other top House positions Rep. Duterte, who had served as vice-mayor of Davao City while Sara Duterte was mayor.
“We earnestly hope that everyone can see the light in this option and move forward with urgency in serving our country,” the HNP statement added, directly contravening an earlier statement from Paolo Duterte that his possible run for Speakership could unite the divided House.
HNP leader Sara Duterte-Carpio is considered influential among even politicians who ran for national and local posts as they tied up with her regional party.
She is said to have engineered the House coup that installed Pampanga Rep. Gloria as the House Speaker, replacing Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez who is said to be at odds with the Davao City mayor.
Even President Rodrigo Duterte acknowledged how strong-willed her daughter could be.
“Talagang ano yan si Inday, so be careful with that woman. She can oust even a Speaker, she operated in Davao. This is a female. She operated in Davao as mayor. Look at what happened in Congress, (Alvarez) was ousted,” the President said in October last year during the concluding ceremonies of the 44th Philippine Business Conference and Expo at the Manila Hotel.
Hugpong’s latest move came after Rep. Duterte signified his intention to run for House Speaker under a term-sharing scheme saying he could help unite the divided Lower House.
“The House is divided. I might be able to help unite it. Pareho lang kaming binoto ng mga tao ah. Kung term sharing, term sharing na kaming lahat,” he said on Tuesday.
His statement also defied a previous declaration by his father, President Duterte, dissuading him from running as House Speaker.
“Itong si Paolo, sinabi ko sa kanya: If you run for speakership, let me know. Kasi kung tatakbo ka, magre-resign ako. Kasi marami na tayo. Nandyan na ang kapatid mo na mayor. So uneasy,” the President said on May 27.