In the House of Representatives, support is never forcibly sought, but voluntarily given.
Thus, said House Spokesperson, lawyer Princess Abante on the reports that Cebu 5th district Rep. Vincent Franco "Duke" Frasco didn't sign the manifesto of support for House Speaker Martin Romualdez heading into the 20th Congress.
"Sa Kamara po, malinaw ang prinsipyo: ang suporta ay hindi ipinipilit. Ito ay kusang loob na desisyon ng bawat kinatawan—at iyan ay iginagalang ng ating liderato (In the House, the principle is clear: support is never forced. It is a voluntary decision of each representative—a principle respected by our leadership)," Abante said in a statement Saturday afternoon, June 7.
While acknowledging the reports that Frasco didn't sign, Abante noted that the vast majority of the solons that would make up the House in the upcoming 20th Congress has already done so.
"Nais naming linawin na sa ngayon, 285 na miyembro ng House of Representatives ang nagpahayag—ng kanilang suporta sa pagpapatuloy ng liderato ni Speaker Romualdez para sa 20th Congress," she said.
(We would like to clarify that, as of now, 285 members of the House of Representatives have expressed their support for the continued leadership of Speaker Romualdez for the 20th Congress.)
Romualdez, Leyte's 1st district representative, has been the Speaker since the start of the 19th Congress in July 2022.
Frasco is a deputy speaker in the 19th Congress, thus making his non-signing of the manifesto of support for Romualdez conspicuous.
"Kaya sa halip na tumuon sa ingay, mas pipiliin ng ating lider na si Speaker Romualdez na manindigan sa katahimikan ng tunay na paglilingkod. Hindi mahalaga kung sino ang hindi pumirma. Mas mahalaga kung sino ang patuloy na naglilingkod," Abante said.
(Instead of focusing on the noise, our leader, Speaker Romualdez, chooses to stand firm in the silence of genuine service. It does not matter who did not sign. What matters is who continues to serve.)
At any rate, the House mouthpiece said Romualdez enjoys widespread support among congressmen in Central Visayas, Frasco's home region.
Frasco is the son-in-law of outgoing Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia.