Sara Duterte: Congrats to Speaker Arroyo, a strong leader

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Tuesday congratulated former President now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for assuming the top House post.

President Rodrigo Duterte's daughter, however, declined to comment on the change of leadership, as Arroyo unseated Davao del Norte Representative Pantaleon Alvarez with whom Duterte-Carpio locked horns with earlier this year.

"No comment on the change. But, Congratulations to SPGMA. A strong leader," her text message read.

Alvarez was replaced by Arroyo on Monday, on the same day Duterte delivered his third State of the Nation Address.

The former Philippine leader had the overwhelming support of 184 House members.

Prior to this, rumors of an ouster plot against Alvarez had been in circulation, when it was rumored that some Mindanao representatives have been gathering support to install Arroyo as Speaker.

Alvarez had once been criticized by Duterte-Carpio over his comments on her move to launch a regional party not affiliated with the ruling PDP-Laban. — Margaret Claire Layug/RSJ, GMA News