Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos (left), and Deputy Speaker Pampanga 2nd district Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Facebook, Rep. Arroyo's office)
Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos said Pampanga 2nd district Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's removal as senior deputy speaker was "just to essentially ease her" of her workload. The presidential son's remarks were consistent with the statement released by Majority Leader and Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Mannix Dalipe on issue. "Parehas lang yun sa sinabi ni Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe (It's the same with what Mannix Dalipe said). It was just to essentially ease her of the load of being senior deputy speaker," Marcos said when asked by Ilocos Norte reporters Thursday, May 18 for an "update" on Arroyo. "And it was a decision of the House that baka (maybe), because of the heavy load of work, maybe Dong Gonzales might be a better fit for the job," the rookie congressman said. He further described the move as "just administrative". During plenary session Wednesday, May 17, the House leadership announced that Arroyo, a former president, would be removed as senior deputy speaker and related to the position of deputy speaker. Erstwhile Deputy Speaker Pampanga 3rd district Rep. Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr. was named as the replacement of the 76-year-old Arroyo. "The House of Representatives has elected Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales, Jr. as senior deputy speaker to unburden his cabalen, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, of the heavy load required from the position," Dalipe said shortly after the changes were made.