• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the Visayas Caucus formed by Leyte First District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez “died” after he stepped down as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Benitez did not support the reelection bid of Romualdez as the Speaker for the 20th Congress.
“I did not convene the Visayan Bloc for them (Visayas solons) not to be uncomfortable so ginpabay-an ko anay (I let it be),” Benitez, who is the convenor of the group, said in an interview on the sidelines of the inauguration of the multi-purpose center and skate park in Barangay Vista Alegre on Saturday (Oct. 4).
He added: “Now that we have a new leadership, a new Speaker, I called for a fellowship meeting. That’s what had happened.”
Benitez and his son, Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez, supported the new speaker, Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino Dy III.
In a social media post, Benitez earlier said he convened the Visayan Bloc “to strengthen regional collaboration toward meaningful reforms and progress for the region.”
He said that almost 40 of the 50 solons from Visayas under the 20th Congress are members of the Visayan Bloc. | GB
