Espinoza: Can Arroyo carry out Duterte’s agenda?

MANY already expected the drama at the House of Representatives that caused the delay of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) and that kept the guests, including foreign diplomats, waiting for hours to unfold. Former speaker Pantaleon Alvarez could have known beforehand the coup against him because after the session was adjourned at noon, the sound system was turned off and the House mace was missing. This is how entertaining politics in our midst is.

Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a former president whose term was swamped with corruption issues (she was charged with plunder in 2012, but acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2016), was elected speaker. With the sound system turned off, Arroyo took the podium and shouted her speech.

To make Arroyo’s election legal and to conform with the House rules, some 244 lawmakers convened at 7:30 p.m. for the purpose. As the sole nominee, Arroyo received184 affirmative votes while 12 lawmakers abstained.

It was a female-led coup. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the President’s daughter, did not deny or confirm reports she was hugely responsible for Alvarez’s ouster. But Mayor Sara and Alvarez did have a spat when she organized Jugpong ng Pagbabago.

Arroyo thus became the first female Speaker of the House in history. But her grab for power was too soon and many consider it as her way of vindicating herself from the plunderer tag. This is also a warning for Arroyo’s political enemies and those who sent her to jail to pray or hide.

In her first statement as Speaker, Arroyo said, “I am extremely honored to have been supported by my colleagues at the House of Representatives to be their new Speaker. I will endeavor to carry out the legislative agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte in the Lower House.”

But can she do it? Duterte wants to reimpose the death penalty for heinous crimes but it was during Arroyo’s term as president that the death penalty was abolished. Would Arroyo change tact on the death penalty?

Is this the end of Alvarez’s political career? Some political watchers believe he could no longer win in his district in Davao del Norte after he quarreled with Congressman Antonio Floirendo. Rumors have it that Floirendo would field Alvarez’s wife against him. This could be the reason why Alvarez is for a no-election situation next year.

But most legislators do not favor a “no-el” scenario next year. While Mayor Sarah said she has no plans of running for senator, but the survey showed her landing on the third spot in the survey next to former senator Pia Cayetano.

Here in Cebu city, Mayor Tomas Osmeña has many reasons to be glad that Alvarez was ousted and Arroyo is the new House speaker. Osmeña and Arroyo were allies during the latter’s term as president. A lawyer was also overly joyed that he could not sleep well last night thinking that Alvarez was ousted.

On the other hand, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino, the nemesis of Mayor Tomas, lost the connection at the House with the ouster of his good friend Alvarez. It’s not the end though for Dino because he still has the ears of the president.

Conversely, what would happen to those appointed in the government with the rank of a regional director on recommendation of former speaker Alvarez to President Duterte? I suppose they would remain in office until their appointment is revoked.

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