• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez confirmed on Friday (Sept. 19) that he is now part of the majority bloc at the House of Representatives.
Benitez was independent when Leyte First District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez was the House Speaker.
He said the public should give new House Speaker Faustino Dy III a chance to redeem the image of the House of Representatives.
He and his son, Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Javier Benitez, voted for Dy as the successor of Romualdez.
Benitez, who was among those considered for the Speakership, admitted that he gave way to Dy upon learning that he got the support of the majority and was selected by the major political blocs.
“As Rep. Dy vowed to redeem the image of the House, we voted for him,” the Bacolod lawmaker said.
He added that Dy, in his speech upon assumption of the new position, was “firm on what he intends to do during his term.”
“Let’s give him a chance to prove himself. I believe in what he says,” Benitez said in an interview with One News.
He said that the Speaker is finding ways on how to redeem the image of the House, which had been tarnished due to suspicions of cover-up on anomalies allegedly committed by its members.
“There will be no sacred cows in the investigations,” Benitez said.
He added that it was agreed among the House members to give priority to the national budget before discussing the committee memberships.
Benitez said they have a timeline of three weeks to forward the approved 2026 national budget to the Senate as they will allow the public to see, scrutinize, and watch the budget deliberations. | GB
