• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco has pushed for a total overhaul of the House of Representatives leadership, following the implication of several lawmakers, including Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, in the flood control project kickbacks.
All those leadership positions were given because they are close to the Speaker, Tiangco said in a media interview on Tuesday (Sept. 9).
Contractor-couple Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya claimed that lawmakers got percentages of funds from projects, with name of Romualdez being used to obtain commissions from infrastructure projects.
Romualdez strongly debunked the allegations.
Pacifico Discaya, owner of construction firms currently under scrutiny for ghost flood control projects, later clarified that he never had any direct transaction with Romualdez, and that his name may have been used by politicians.
In an interview with ANC, Tiangco admitted there are talks of House leadership change.
“If they want reforms in the House, it should be Albee (Bacolod City Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez) to be the Speaker,” the Navotas lawmaker said. “Dapat talaga si Albee, because he is part of the independent bloc.”
Benitez and Tiangco did not vote for Romualdez, who was unopposed, during the selection of Speakership for the 20th Congress.
“If you want reforms, you must get someone who did not support the leadership. That is very clear,” Tiangco said, but he admitted that it is still a numbers game for the Speakership, and they are not moving, out of respect to the President (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.).
Benitez’s son, Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez, earlier said the leadership change all depends on the President and the House leaders aside from Romualdez.
“Congressman Albee will not push himself, if hindi gusto ng mga tao. I think, where this is coming from, is also from other House members, who are feeling the need for change and stability,” the younger Benitez said. | GB
