Duke Frasco makes comeback as House deputy speaker

The House of Representatives on Wednesday elected three additional House deputy speakers, including ex-deputy speaker and Cebu 5th District Rep. Duke Frasco.

During its plenary session, the lower chamber approved the motion to elect Frasco, Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Albee Benitez, and Pangasinan 3rd District Rep. Rachel Arenas as deputy speakers via a voice vote.

House majority leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos Jr. made the motion for their election.

Frasco, husband of former Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, previously served as a House deputy speaker in the 19th Congress from 2022 to 2025 under then Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Frasco and Benitez did not support Romualdez’s reelection bid as Speaker in the 20th Congress in June 2025.

Frasco was expelled from his political party, the National Unity Party (NUP), as a result of his refusal to support Romualdez’s reelection bid as Speaker. 

Romualdez was reelected Speaker in July 2025 with 269 votes. 

In September, Romualdez resigned as Speaker of the lower chamber after he was linked to the flood control mess. — JMA, GMA Integrated News