SPEAKERSHIP contender and Pampanga Third District Representative Aurelio Gonzales said Tuesday, June 4, that the next speaker of the 18th Congress must come from President Rodrigo Duterte's PDP-Laban party.
This, he said, would ensure that the President’s leadership agenda would be followed through in the next Congress and provide stable leadership to varying parties in the lower house.
Among the top PDP-Laban contenders are Representatives Pantaleon Alvarez (Davao del Norte), Gonzales (Pampanga) and Lord Allan Jay Velasco (Marinduque).
But Gonzales was quick to note that the President has a greater say on the future of the House speakership.
Gonzales said he has not yet talked to Duterte regarding his bid, adding that though he was part of the official entourage of the President in the latter’s state visit to Japan, he made no mention of his intention to run for speaker.
“I will respect the decision of the President. My only prayer is that the next speaker should come from PDP-Laban,” Gonzales told SunStar Pampanga.
Asked on what his style of leadership would be, Gonzales said he would strive to unify all representatives from the different parties. He added that he will treat party-list congressmen with the same courtesy as district congressmen and provide them with the same access to government projects for their constituents.
He also said that congressmen from opposing parties will not be given zero budget.
Gonzales said he is flattered with the support he is getting from fellow lawmakers, admitting he is not campaigning for such.
He said the guidance and advice of Duterte on the matter of the House speakership should be taken into the utmost account.
PDP-Laban currently holds some 84 seats in the House of Representatives.
Other contenders include Martin Romualdez of Leyte, who is reportedly backed by the Arroyo block, and incoming Taguig Representative Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte's former running mate in the 2016 elections and former foreign secretary.