ABANG Lingkod Partylist Representative Stephen Paduano said Friday, June 28, that the Visayan bloc of the House of Representatives will soon decide as to who they would support for House Speaker in the upcoming 18th Congress.
Paduano said, however, they will support the annointee of President Rodrigo Duterte.
He said they will have to choose between two members of Congress.
The candidates are Leyte First District Representative Martin Romualdez and Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco.
Earlier, Bacolod City Lone District Representative Greg Gasataya said there are four potential candidates for Speaker of the House.
Aside from Romualdez and Velasco, Taguig-Pateros Lone District Representative Alan Peter Cayetano and Davao del Norte First District Representative Pantaleon Alvarez were also included in the mix.
Paduano said the Visayan bloc is due to meet before July 15 in order for them to reach a consensus over the matter.
In the previous congress, both Negros Occidental Sixth District Representative Mercedes Alvarez and Capiz Second District Representative Fredenil Castro served as deputy speaker. After last May's polls, however, Alvarez was term-limited and Castro did not seek re-election.