Suarez on race for House Speaker: It’s about power, not money

The race for the House speakership for the 18th Congress does not mean money will exchange hands, only lobbying for seats as chairperson of powerful committees, outgoing House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez said Thursday.

Suarez was responding to claims made by former Speaker and Davao del Norte Representative Pantaleon Alvarez that those who are running for the speakership should be prepared to give P500,000 to as much as P1 million per member of the House of Representatives.

“Si Speaker Alvarez, nanalo [sa Speakerhsip race]. Nagbayad ba siya? Wala [siyang binayaran]. Si Speaker GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), nanalo siya. Wala rin [siyang binayaran]. What I will not deny is the lobbying for chairmanship of committees,” Suarez said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

“Nangayayari na 'yan ngayon. So it is not about money. It is power,” Suarez added.

Suarez said that members of the House from political parties allied with the Duterte administration, namely the Nacionalista Party (NP), National Union Party and the Nationalist People's Coalition are already jockeying for positions as head of the crucial House committees.

“'Yang mga members niyan, gusto maging head ng mga committees. For one, this will be their chance to shine, especially when you become the chairman of the House Appropriations panel, the House Majority Leader, Ways and Means panel and Local Government,” Suarez said.

“There's also the chairmanship of the House Committee on Justice na siyang [may kapangyarihan na] mag-impeach ng President. Importante 'yan,” Suarez added.

Suarez, who is stepping down from his post in June and assume as governor of his home province of Quezon, earlier said that his fellow Lakas member and Leyte Representative-elect Martin Romualdez has the numbers to win as House Speaker.

Suarez also claimed that Romualdez can secure the speakership if President Rodrigo Duterte won't name his preference on who he wants to lead the House of Representatives.

Other contenders for the top House post are Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco and Taguig City Representative Alan Peter Cayetano.

Velasco is from ruling the party PDP-Laban while Cayetano is from NP. — Llanesca T. Panti/RSJ, GMA News