Davao City Representative and presidential son Paolo Duterte has formed a nine-member Duterte Coalition and warned Cabinet members against meddling in the House speakership race.
Cabinet members should respect President Rodrigo Duterte’s wish not to endorse anyone for the speakership and the mandate of the elected members of the House which gives them the authority to pick their leader, the nine-member coalition, dubbed as the Duterte Coalition, said.
“It has come to our attention that certain Presidential Cabinet members have their bet for Speaker. Everyone should note that, Cabinet members serve only on the basis of the trust and confidence of the President and should not participate in the selection of the Speaker,” the coalition said in a statement.
“President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly said he will not interfere in the race for the next Speaker of the House—noting that all candidates are his allies,” the coalition noted.
Aside from Paolo, other members of the Duterte Coalition from the ranks of Hugpong ng Pagbabago and Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod include Representatives Isidro Ungab and Vincent Garcia of Davao City, Corazon Malanyaon of Davao Oriental, Manuel Zamora of Compostela Valley, Lorna Bautista of Davao Occidental, as well as allies Claudine Bautista of Dumper party-list, Sandro Gonzales and Anton Lopez of Marino party-list.
“Congressmen and Congresswomen are elected and serve a mandate with an authority direct from the people. These lawmakers are the only rightful electorate for their leader,” the coalition said.
“Let us draw the line in defining the independence of the executive and the legislative branches of the government.”
The coalition said it is a strategic partnership of dynamic public servants who are committed to institute governance and development reforms that are necessary for the Philippines to secure its rightful place in the world stage of nations, particularly in the Southeast Asian region.
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“We have created the Duterte Coalition and we wish to invite everyone to join this group of lawmakers who believe in positive change,” it said.
“A special call to be a partner is extended to Representatives Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Alan Peter Cayetano, and Lord Allan Jay Velasco. We shall not serve one interest, we will work for all Filipinos,” the coalition added.
Romualdez of Leyte, Cayetano of Taguig, and Velasco of Marinduque are the top contenders for the House speakership.
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This article first appeared on GMA News.
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