Political analysts have different takes on the various positions taken by President Rodrigo Duterte on the many issues the presidency has to tackle.

From his foreign policy to trade, his war on illegal drugs to his colorful language, the sea row which he is likely to expound more on in his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on Monday, these knowledgeable sideliners are having a field day analyzing the President's words but with different results.

The hottest and latest among the more interesting topics political watchers are trying to dissect from Mr. Duterte's statements is his preferred legislative partner in the House of Representatives.

With just a week left, our lawmakers from the House have yet to choose the next Speaker.

Over at the Senate, it seems a cinch for Vicente "Tito" Sotto to continue as Senate President. His concern was limited to choosing the rightful leaders of the key committees. Sotto no longer needed to campaign to keep his post.

With outgoing House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo vacating her House seat, she is also leaving the post open to the three hopefuls who have taken different routes in their bids to claim the speakership.

Macapagal-Arroyo's choice, of course, should be Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez. They're both the Lakas party bosses. But GMA is no longer the sitting President. She also does not have the same popularity of Mr. Duterte, whose policies are widely supported by the people.

Then there is Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco. He has the support of the Duterte siblings Sara (the Davao City Mayor) and Paolo (Davao City 1st District Representative). The Dutertes' backing makes him a strong candidate for the post. But he has been silent all along. But they say a silent water runs deep, so...

The third candidate is Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, the former Senator and Foreign Affairs Secretary who is the most visible of the lot.

He has to keep himself everywhere. He has, in fact, too much on his plate that is his way of projecting himself as the leading bidder for the post. His Congress peers do not seem to buy this, though. He's got the weakest numbers among the candidates, we were told.

The President, however, did not choose one from among them, though.

In an exclusive pre-SoNA interview with *Daily Tribune*, President Duterte made clear that he has not openly favored a speakership candidate from among the three.

And to make it clearer, the Chief Executive said he will not take offense if the congressmen will not favor the proposed compromise of term-sharing, which should have Cayetano taking the House leadership for the first 15 months of the last three years of Mr. Duterte's term, while Velasco takes his turn in the last 21. Romualdez should sit as Majority Floor Leader for three years if the formula is accepted.

But it does not seem so.

The House speakership remains an open race. The President said so when he told the *Tribune* that "it's okay with me. That is just my formula," adding that he only settled the issue since he felt the need to "talk" when the conflict had started.

The President talked more, however.

He said he will choose Romualdez as his vice-presidential candidate should he run for it in 2022. But who will be his anointed one for the presidency?

It could no longer be Bongbong Marcos. A Marcos-Romualdez pairing won't work for sure. It's soooo 1970s.

Would it be Cayetano, as he has already declared his intention to seek the country's top post among members of his circle? Maybe not.

The President has just disenfranchised Cayetano's Phisgoc and rightfully shifted the management of the country's hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games to start on 30 November to government's Philippine Sports Commission, in partnership with the Philippine Olympic Committee.

If that is not an outright rebuke of Cayetano, not including what now appears as the President's non-committal stand on the speakership, we could no longer be sure what is.

Then, on Saturday, he spent time to dine with Velasco and his family at the Shangri-La EDSA. Photographs of that event circulated on social media with Velasco, as his usual, not saying anything about it.

Several minutes after that dinner, Velasco met with Cayetano and Romualdez in a venue at the Bonifacio Global City. Again, no word from Velasco nor from the two.

But then, sideliners are saying none of them would be able to take the speakership.

Remember that a so-called Duterte Coalition had risen to break this speakership impasse. It is led by Sara's Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

The Duterte Coalition has endorsed Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab for the post.

Ungab could not be a mere decoy in this game. He could, in fact, become an acceptable bet to Romualdez, Cayetano and Velasco. It would less painful for them if he becomes Speaker of the House.

But we will leave these to the better political analyses of the few capable minds. The next days are going to be interesting for sure and they will also have a lot to say about these.