Escudero and Romualdez keep post as Senate President and Speaker

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio and Adrian H. Halili, Reporters

SENATOR Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez have both been re-elected by their chambers as Senate President and Speaker of the House, respectively, during the opening of the first regular session of the 20^th Congress on Monday.

During a Senate plenary session, a supermajority of 19 out of 24 Senators voted in favor of Mr. Escudero to be the Senate President, marking his second term as the Senate’s top official. He first assumed the post in May last year, following the resignation of his predecessor Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri.

In his speech before the Senate floor, Mr. Escudero said that the Senate must prioritize legislation that will lower the cost of goods, create more jobs, reform the education and healthcare systems, mitigate climate change, and strengthen national defense.

“The Filipino people look to the Senate to come up with solutions that will improve their lives, address their needs, and bring their aspirations within reach,” he added.

Mr. Escudero said that the legislative body must not “bow to a mob” amid criticism on the Senate’s delay of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment proceedings.

“We should not and cannot bow to a mob. We will not be cowed by the shrillest of voices. We will stand up for what is right, what is just, and what is consistent with the Rule of Law and our Constitution,” he added.

Last week, the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that the impeachment of Ms. Duterte was unconstitutional for violating the one-year ban on the filing of more than one complaint against an impeachable official and the right to due process. Any subsequent impeachment complaint against her may only be filed by Feb. 6, next year.

Senator Jose P. Ejercito Estrada also retained his position as Senate President pro tempore, while Senator Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva was elected as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and majority leader.

Senator Vicente C. Sotto III will serve as the Senate’s minority leader after garnering only five votes when the chamber voted for the Senate chief. The runner-up in the Senate Presidential race automatically assumes the role of minority leader, with their voters comprising the new minority.

Joining Mr. Sotto are Senators Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel, Panfilo M. Lacson, Lorna Regina Bautista Legarda, and Mr. Zubiri.

Meanwhile, re-elected Speaker Romualdez, who ran unopposed, retained the top House post after clinching 269 votes. Thirty-four lawmakers abstained.

“I will be here not just to preside, but to protect,” Mr. Romualdez told the House floor after taking his oath as House Speaker.

The Speaker post holds significant clout and is typically occupied by an ally of the sitting president. It wields political influence and sway on 314 lawmakers representing congressional districts and sectors in the legislative chamber, where tax measures and the yearly national budget originate.

Mr. Romualdez’s election might reinforce the chamber’s legislative alignment with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s administration, signaling continued support for its policy priorities, said Anthony Lawrence A. Borja, an associate political science professor at De La Salle University.

“Such an alignment however, can be seen by some as a mark of Romualdez’s hold over Marcos, Jr.,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

The House Speaker would likely focus on whipping votes for the approval of social welfare and economic bills in the chambers to help bolster public support for Mr. Marcos, he added.

“This is directed at affecting the everyday life of beneficiaries for the sake of bolstering support for the current administration in the context of a longer lag time that economic policies are usually tied with,” said Mr. Borja.

Ederson DT. Tapia, a political science professor at the University of Makati, said he expects Mr. Romualdez to hold the speakership throughout the 20^th Congress, even if Mr. Marcos’ political clout wanes.

“While he has maintained close coordination with the palace, he has also managed to lead with stability in the house,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat. “I am of the belief that a majority of the members of the house would continue to support him and his leadership style.”

Also on Monday, the House floor elected Ilocos Norte Rep. and presidential son Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos III as majority leader, an influential post within the chamber that heads the committee overseeing the legislative agenda.

The younger Mr. Marcos’ election as majority floor leader would help strengthen ties between the Executive branch and the House, and help thrust reforms forward, Mr. Romualdez said in a statement.

“His promotion to majority leader signals the House supermajority’s confidence in his ability to deliver results and infuse new energy into institutional reforms,” he said.

On the other hand, Party-list Rep. Marcelino C. Libanan said in a separate statement that he also retained his leadership of the House minority bloc after receiving the support of 29 other congressmen that abstained from voting for Mr. Romualdez’s speakership bid.

Meanwhile, Davao City Rep. Isidro T. Ungab did not vote for Mr. Romualdez as House Speaker, as he and three Duterte lawmakers chose to remain independent of the chamber’s majority and minority blocs.

In a separate statement, Mr. Ungab said that he and Davao City Reps. Paolo Z. Duterte, Omar Vincent S. Duterte and Party-list Rep. Harold James T. Duterte chose to “forge an independent path” in the chamber to govern above what they described as partisan politics.

“Our choice to become independent members demonstrates our commitment to principled governance and our intent to serve our country and constituents free from partisan considerations,” they said in the statement.