MANILA - Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Wednesday
named Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco as the next Speaker of the House of
Representatives, a day after she said Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez
will get the post.
“Kani siya... ako ipailaila ninyo ang (This one...I will
introduce to you the) next Speaker of the House, Marinduque Rep. Lord
Velasco," Duterte-Carpio said at a campaign rally in Tagbilaran City.
She had called Velasco her bet for the speakership in
November.
But just this Tuesday in Tacloban City, the mayor, who leads
the administration-backed regional political party Hugpong ng Pagbabago, named
Romualdez, nephew of former first lady Imelda Marcos, as the next House
Speaker.
Aside from Velasco and Romualdez, Duterte-Carpio and her
father President Rodrigo Duterte are also allied with former foreign affairs
chief Alan Peter Cayetano, who has also announced his speakership bid.
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| Mayor Inday Sara and Cong Lord Allan in a campaign sortie |
The President's daughter said everyone she has endorsed is
fit for the position but Velasco has an advantage because he is a member of
ruling party PDP-Laban.
Duterte added that “the best time to talk about [the]
speakership is after the election.”
PDP-Laban earlier said it was eyeing 8 possible individuals
as its nominees for the next Speaker.
Duterte-Carpio was instrumental in the unceremonious ouster
as Speaker of Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, who was replaced by
Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
