Malacañang on Thursday stressed that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has no role in the selection or replacement of leaders in the House of Representatives.
“Ang pagpili po kasi ng liderato ng Kongreso ay wala naman po sa kamay ng Pangulo. Kung ano po ang kanilang magiging desisyon diyan, kung ano ang kanilang pagiging pagpapatakbo diyan hindi po iyan saklaw ng Pangulo (Choosing the leader of Congress is not in the hands of the President. Whatever their decision is, it is not within the President’s purview),” Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro told reporters in a press briefing.
When asked to comment on rumors that House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno could replace Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, Castro emphasized that decisions on House leadership rest solely with lawmakers.
Dy, who represents Isabela’s 6th District, assumed the speakership on September 17 after receiving 253 votes in favor, 28 abstentions, and no negative votes. He replaced Leyte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, a cousin of the President, whose name was linked to a flood-control corruption scandal.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. recently presented the first batch of case referrals from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to the Office of the Ombudsman. The referrals involve 37 individuals—including lawmakers, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials, and private contractors—who face charges such as graft, corruption, malversation, falsification, plunder, and administrative violations.
Among those named are Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada, former House Appropriations Chair Zaldy Co, former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, DPWH personnel, and private contractors.
Romualdez, however, is not on the list. Marcos clarified that any legal action will proceed only “based on verifiable evidence” and reiterated that Romualdez is not currently among individuals implicated in irregularities in the flood-control program.
“No one is immune… No one is exempt from these investigations,” Marcos stressed.