Romualdez still enjoys 'supermajority' support, backers 'climbing' — allies

There have been no talks of a major shakeup in the current leadership of the House of Representatives — at least according to lawmakers allied with Speaker Martin Romualdez. This comes amid unconfirmed reports that he may be unseated even before the next Congress officially takes over.

According to Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor, one of the prosecutors in the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, the speakership remains in "status quo," pointing out that Romualdez still enjoys the support of major political parties in the House and is expected to stay at the helm.

"Right now, the leaders of the major parties in the House have come together. I don't see any change when it comes to the House speaker. I also don't see any movement from those rumored candidates eyeing the speakership," said Defensor, a stalwart of the National Unity Party, in Filipino in an interview on Sunday. "As of now, I see the speakership remaining in the status quo."

Deputy Speaker David "Jayjay" Suarez also claimed Romualdez has already secured the backing of 240 lawmakers — more than two-thirds of the 315 elected incoming House members — as early as 17 May. He noted, too, that the number "keeps climbing."

"This is already a supermajority. It's done. The Speaker has the numbers," said Suarez, treasurer of the Romualdez-led Lakas-CMD, the largest bloc in the House at present.

He cited Romualdez's "calm yet decisive leadership" and his commitment to performance over partisanship as key to maintaining unity in the House, adding that any attempt to challenge him would be "simply unrealistic."

Suarez emphasized that keeping Romualdez, who is President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s cousin, ensures legislative momentum, especially in passing crucial measures like the national budget.

Romualdez vs 3 lawmakers

At least three House members — including one reportedly related to President Marcos — are rumored to be planning to challenge Romualdez’s speakership. Unconfirmed reports suggested he may lose the position even before the 20th Congress convenes in July.

The speculation comes after the lackluster performance of the administration-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas in the Senate elections, where only six of its 11 candidates won seats.

According to Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, the coalition’s campaign manager, the House-led impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte caused significant voter backlash in Mindanao — the Dutertes' stronghold.

Of the 11 Alyansa candidates, only Erwin Tulfo, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Pia Cayetano, Camille Villar, and Lito Lapid won Senate seats.

Villar, notably absent from multiple campaign events, was endorsed by Duterte and is now seen as drifting from the administration’s line. Her family's water utility firm, PrimeWater, is also under government scrutiny following an order from President Marcos to investigate consumer complaints.

Tiangco claimed the impeachment drive, despite being unlikely to advance in the Senate, harmed Alyansa's prospects. He said local leaders in Mindanao hesitated to campaign openly for Alyansa to avoid alienating Duterte supporters.

He also alleged that the impeachment was launched against Marcos’s wishes and that some congressmen were coerced into signing the complaint with promises of “conditional release” of their district budgets. Suarez firmly denied these claims.

DAILY TRIBUNE reached out to Romualdez’s office for comment but has yet to receive a response.

NUP backs Romualdez for continuity

The National Unity Party, the second-largest bloc in the House, warned that replacing Romualdez could jeopardize the administration’s legislative agenda as it enters its second half.

“For the House to help stay the course of this pro-poor and pro-growth vision in the Congress, it is crucial for Speaker Martin to remain at the helm of the bigger chamber to continue shepherding the passage of the priority bills of this Administration meant to spell high, inclusive and sustainable growth,” said outgoing Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte, the NUP’s president.

"A leadership shakeup could only put this Administration's priority agenda at serious risk in the House of Representative, possibly leading to irreversible legislative drift in the remaining half of the Marcos presidency," he warned.

Numbers say it all

Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers, a signatory to the impeachment, said the results of the May 12 elections speak for themselves: 36 of the 44 Mindanaoan lawmakers who signed the impeachment complaint won re-election.

Senate campaigns are won with message, machinery, and momentum — not by shielding sacred cows from scrutiny,” Barbers said.

Barbers, who was term-limited, noted that his wife, Bernadette, won his seat by a wide margin.

Suarez echoed that the impeachment’s impact has been overstated. “If we look at the winning rate of the congressmen who signed the impeachment, I believe it was 86 percent. So if anyone should be feeling the impact, if there is any, it should be them,” he said.

Tiangco for Speaker?

Tiangco, a Marcos ally, is reportedly considering running for Speaker. He said several lawmakers had approached him for support.

In April, the Palace denied the authenticity of a “leaked” memo circulated by pro-Duterte groups suggesting Marcos was backing Tiangco to replace Romualdez.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin called the memo a “blatant attempt to spread disinformation and sow division.”

“I will do whatever is best for the President. If it’s best for the President that Martin Romualdez remains Speaker, I will support it. If he thinks I can help him more, I will accept it, as long as my colleagues agree,” Tiangco said in an interview on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte said she has encouraged her brother, Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte, to consider running for Speaker of the 20th Congress or as minority leader.

“I told him, ‘Maybe you want to run for Speaker.’ He hasn’t answered yet. I think he’s still considering his chances of winning,” the VP said in Filipino. “I also told him, ‘If you don't win the Speakership, then take the minority position.'"

The VP, impeached by the House on 5 February, also said no one has sought her endorsement for either the speakership or the Senate presidency.

Congress resumes on 2 June for six session days before adjourning sine die by the end of the month. The 20th Congress will open four weeks later, ahead of President Marcos's fourth State of the Nation Address.