Romualdez on VP Sara: We’re good

“We’re good.”

This was the response of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez when asked about his relationship with Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte.

“Pictures are worth a thousand words, siguro nakita mo na ‘yung picture,” Romualdez told reporters.

During the departure ceremony for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s trip to Malaysia on Tuesday, Romualdez and Duterte were seen shaking hands and engaging in what seemed to be a friendly conversation.

This comes a month after Duterte intentionally skipped mentioning Marcos' middle initial, Romualdez, as she acknowledged the Chief Executive during a speech. 

Duterte, however, didn't elaborate why she skipped the name "Romualdez."

Romualdez is the president of the Lakas-CMD, the party under which Duterte ran for Vice President and from which she resigned after its chairperson-emeritus former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was relegated to Deputy Speaker.

Duterte did not mention the reason for her resignation, the Vice President said the Filipino people's trust in her to lead the country cannot be poisoned by "political toxicity" or undermined by "execrable political powerplay."

On May 21, Duterte posted a photo of herself with a cryptic caption: “Sa imong ambisyon, do not be tambaloslos.”

Back in May, there were reports of an ouster plot in the House leadership. 

Romualdez replied to rumors by saying, "Moves to destabilize the House should be nipped in the bud." —VAL, GMA Integrated News