Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos on Monday, July 18, jokingly told presumptive House Speaker, his uncle Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez that he should not worry about any coups against him in the 19th Congress.
Sandro, the son of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., made the remark in jest during the graduation ceremonies for House of Representatives neophytes who finished their executive course on legislation.
“I think as lawmakers have a lot to learn from them (House Secretariat) but not just the legislative process. Ang daming speakership pong nangyari, nandito pa rin po sila. Ang daming impeachment na nangyari, nandito pa rin sila (A lot of speakerships happened, they are still here. A lot of impeachments happened, they are still here),” he said as he thanked Romualdez and the Congress secretariat during his graduation speech at the Belmonte Hall of the House of Representatives.
“So, hopefully...don’t worry, Speaker, hindi mangyayari iyon (that would not happen),” Marcos added, eliciting laughter from the audience.
He said this after telling other neophyte lawmakers in attendance that the House Secretariat is the true “lifeblood” of the House.
“The more the congressmen know the rules, the more the congressmen know the procedures of each committee, the faster hearings happen,” Marcos stated.
On the day the 17th Congress opened in July 2018, former Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. and then House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez was booted out of the speakership. The coup happened on SONA day.
The move was reportedly a product of the combined forces of former president and now Pampanga 1st district Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, then-Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, and then-Ilocos Norte governor Imee Marcos.
Alvarez’s ouster was not the sole high drama moment that unfolded in connection with the House speakership during the Duterte administration.
In September 2020, an alleged coup happened against then-House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig-Pateros. When the dust settled, Marinduque lone district Rep. Lord Allan Velasco was the new leader of the House.