The Nationalist Peoples’ Coalition (NPC) will throw its support to incumbent House Majority Leader Rep. Martin Romualdez as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives in the upcoming 19th Congress, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on Sunday, May 15.
Sotto, who ran for vice president in the May 2022 elections but lost in the race, made the announcement after key leaders at the House said they are supporting Romualdez, presumptive president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.’s cousin, as the next House Speaker.
“As Chairman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, and in consultation with our HOR leaders, I hereby announce the unconditional support of the party to the Speakership of Congressman Martin Romualdez in the 19th Congress!” Sotto said in a statement to reporters.
Sotto’s NPC is the latest political party to endorse Romualdez as the next House Speaker. Prior to this, President Duterte’s Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) and Sen. Cynthia Villar’s Nacionalista Party have also expressed their preference for Romualdez as head of the House of Representatives.
Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was elected to her fourth non-consecutive term as 2nd District representative of Pampanga, has also expressed her support to Romualdez, and urged members of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) to also support Marcos’ kin as House Speaker in the next Congress.
Romualdez was reelected as Leyte 1st District representative during the May 9 polls.