MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has assured lawmakers that he would not meddle in the race for the House Speaker and would not secretly endorse a candidate, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said on Wednesday. “Going back to the President’s last statement (June 27), he maintained his neutrality in the Speakership race,” Romualdez, one of the top Speaker contenders, said in a statement. Sabi ko nga pwede ipadaan kay Sara o sa kanyang top aide, kay Bong Go,” Garbin said in an interview, Tuesday. Although the President has publicly repeated his hands-off stance on the House Speaker battle, his party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), had endorsed the bid of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, Sara’s close friend. But on Tuesday, Duterte’s eldest son, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, threatened to join the race for the position in a bid to “unite” the “divided” chamber.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 03, 2019 09:22 UTC