Arroyo likely to gun for House speaker post, says Iggy

Outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is likely target the House Speakership when the new Congress opens in July, her lawmaker brother-in-law said Tuesday night. Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio (Iggy) Arroyo Jr. said Mrs. Arroyo has enough allies to get her the top post in the House of Representatives. “Yes, I think she would," Arroyo, who was proclaimed winner of the congressional race for the fifth district of Negros Occidental, said when asked if Mrs. Arroyo will go for the Speaker's post. Excerpts of the interview were posted Wednesday on Negros-based news site Visayan Daily Star. Mrs. Arroyo enjoys a big lead in the congressional race for the second district of Pampanga and was to be proclaimed in the afternoon. Her critics claim her congressional bid is part of a ploy to get back to power by having her allies push for a shift to a parliamentary form of government, under which she can run for Prime Minister. Meanwhile, Rep. Arroyo — brother of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo — was proclaimed the winning congressman for the fifth district of Negros Occidental Tuesday night. He said he plans to concentrate on the construction of more school buildings and roads for his district. Rep. Arroyo said he also plans to implement a project to raise cows for the production of milk for feeding programs for indigent children in his district. - LBG, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV