House 'solid' for Romualdez, allies say

Allies of Speaker Martin Romualdez have circled the wagon around the House leader, hounded by ouster rumors and corruption allegations linked to the flood control anomalies.

Deputy Speaker and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V on Wednesday ruled out a leadership change in the chamber, saying that the majority coalition fully backs Romualdez.

“There is no change of leadership,” he said.

"There are a lot of rumors around. Mga bulong-bulong (Whispers). Tawag lang ‘yung naririnig ko (I heard calls were being made). But as you can see, the House is solid, and there’s no change in the leadership,” he added.

Ortega made the statement on the same day that Dasmariñas City Rep. Kiko Barzaga announced his departure from the majority coalition and his party, the National Unity Party, after he was suspected of being involved in moves to oust Romualdez as Speaker.

Ortega said party leaders in the House majority coalition recently met, which included the President’s son and Romualdez’s nephew, House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos.

“Nagkakaisa po ang House of Representatives. Nandun po lahat ng party leaders, at naroon po ang aming Majority Floor Leader,” Ortega said, referring to a recent gathering of party leaders making up the Majority coalition namely the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, National Unity Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition, Nacionalista Party, and Party-List Foundation Inc.

(We stand united, and the party leaders were all present in the gathering, including our Majority Leader.)

Romualdez was mentioned in the testimony of contractors Pacifico and Sarah Discaya in the Senate.  But in the House, Pacifico Discaya said he had no direct transaction with Romualdez.

In a statement Tuesday, the House leader branded the claim of the Discaya couple as false, malicious, and nothing more than name-dropping. He said he would not allow lies to pass unchecked. 

Meanwhile, former congressman Ace Barbers, Romualdez’s newly-appointed spokesperson, said the House leader never dipped his hands in implementing flood control projects in Dasmariñas City.

Barbers was referring to the statement of Dasmariñas City Rep. Kiko Barzaga that Romualdez should be probed for the flood control projects implemented in the said district when the Speaker served as its caretaker after the death of its congressman, Elpidio Barzaga.

“With regard to the statements of Rep. Barzaga, I can say with certainty: When Speaker Romualdez served as caretaker of the late Rep. Elpidio ‘Pidi’ Barzaga Jr.’s district, his role was purely administrative. He did not interfere in infrastructure projects or funding decisions,” Barbers said.

“His office ensured the continuation of essential services, retained key district staff, and upheld the late congressman’s commitment to his constituents during a time of transition,” he added.

Barbers said the Speaker remains open to any dialogue with Barzaga should he wish to raise issues or seek clarification.

Barbers also said that any attempt to oust Romualdez will not gain ground.

“It has not actually crossed the border of getting the interest of the majority of the members. In fact, the majority bloc showed support for the Speaker. I would say he is supported by at least 90% of House members,” he said.

“Walang plano mag-resign [si Speaker], walang plano ng pagtatanggal at wala rin plano na magkaroon ng palit ng liderato rito sa Kamara,” he added.

(The Speaker has no plans to resign.  There are no plans to oust him and have a change of leadership in the chamber.) —LDF, GMA Integrated News