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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VP Sara asks brother Pulong: Vie for House speakership or minority leader

VP Sara asks brother Pulong: Vie for House speakership or minority leader

Published May 18, 2025 08:57 am
With the leaderships of the incoming 20th Congress now up for grabs, Vice President Sara Duterte believes that her brother, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, must compete for the House speakership position.

Vice President Sara Duterte and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte (OVP, House of Representatives)

If he doesn’t win, then he could be the minority leader, she said.

The Vice President said that none has approached her yet for her blessings to vie for the House leadership positions.

“Ah, wala. Wala akong (None. I don’t have a) candidate for speaker or for Senate president. Wala din ako, wala din lumapit sa akin (No one has approached me) for speaker or for Senate president,” she told the media.

“Sinabihan ko si Congressman Pulong. Sabi ko sa kanya baka gusto mo lumaban ng speaker? Hindi ba siya sumagot. Hindi siya sumagot, iniisip din niya siguro yung chances niya na malayo (I asked Congressman Pulong. I told him, ‘you might want to run as speaker? He didn’t answer. He didn’t answer, maybe he was thinking what his chances are),” she added.

The official said her brother might “be thinking about it” because he hasn’t given her his answer yet.

“Well sinabi ko sa kanya, kung hindi ka manalo ng speaker, then kunin mo 'yung minority (I told him that if you don’t win as speaker, then get the minority),” she disclosed.

But her brother simply reminded her not to start a fight as she had just been to church to attend a mass.

The siblings attended a thanksgiving mass at the Carmelite Church in Lanang, Davao City on May 17, for the success of the Duterte family in the recently held midterm elections.

Aside from Rep. Duterte, Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco has floated his own name for the possibility of replacing House Speaker Martin Romualdez, President Marcos’ first cousin, as Speaker.

But Deputy Speaker David Suarez already affirmed that Romualdez has the “supermajority” of the Congress, with reportedly 240 members already signing a manifesto of support.

He also said that Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), National Unity Party (NUP), Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Nacionalista Party (NP), Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), and Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc. (PCFI) have already shown their support.

A “full declaration” of their support is expected before the 20th Congress starts in July, the lawmaker said.

Related Tags

Sara Duterte Paolo Duterte House speaker minority leader
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