House leadership crack emerges

An underlying rift at the House of Representatives surfaced yesterday after Deputy Speaker and Cebu 5th District Rep. Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco was reported as one of the House members who declined to sign a manifesto supporting the continued speakership of Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez for the 20th Congress.

While no official explanation has been issued, sources said growing discontent is simmering within the House, particularly among lawmakers from the Visayas and Mindanao.

Frasco’s office has not issued an official statement but indicated to the media that the Deputy Speaker will issue a statement in the coming days.

Cebu stalwart

Frasco is a key political figure in Cebu, one of the country’s vote-rich provinces. He was reelected with a strong mandate of 217,303 votes or an 84,201 vote margin. He is the husband of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco.

His mother-in-law, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia. Garcia, a dominant figure in Cebu politics, however, suffered a surprising defeat in the 2025 gubernatorial race to neophyte Pamela Baricuatro, despite the endorsement of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Frasco’s career includes three terms as mayor of Liloan (2007–2016), where he transformed the municipality into a first-class local government unit, and his current role as a congressman, where he has focused on healthcare, education, and infrastructure initiatives

Deputy Speaker David Suarez issued a statement on 25 May that 285 incoming representatives, including four of the six Liberal Party (LP) members, in the 20th Congress threw their support to the Speaker.

He indicated massive support for Romualdez, which had been placed in doubt with Frasco’s move.

The refusal of a key figure to sign the manifesto suggests that Romualdez’ hold on the speakership is not absolute.

Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, campaign manager of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate for the Senate, had blamed the disastrous performance of the administration bets on the efforts to oust Vice President Sara Duterte and the subsequent surrender of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court at The Hague.