House Speaker Martin Romualdez isn't working toward a run in the 2028 elections.
Thus, said House of Representatives Spokesperson Princess Abante in a strong-worded statement Friday afternoon, June 13 following the apparent tirades of Senator Imee Marcos while she was in Malaysia.
"Malinaw po: wala sa kilos, pananalita, o gawain ni Speaker Romualdez ang pagtakbo sa 2028 (It is clear: nothing in Speaker Romualdez’s actions, words, or deeds indicates an intent to run in 2028)," Abante said.
Senator Marcos was accompanied to Malaysia by Vice President Sara Duterte, Senator Robin Padilla, and other administration critics. They attended an event with oversees Filipino workers (OFWs).
"Hindi siya nagpapakita sa media para magpasikat. Wala siyang presscon para magpabango. Hindi siya gumagamit ng TikTok o vlogs para magpa-cute. Ang inuuna niya ay serbisyo, hindi sariling interes," Abante said of the Speaker and Leyte 1st district congressman.
(He does not appear in the media for publicity. He does not hold press conferences to boost his image. He does not use TikTok or vlogs to appear charming. His priority is service, not self-interest.)
She further said: "At higit sa lahat — si Speaker ay kilala sa paggawa ng mga desisyong mahirap at hindi palaging popular. ‘Ganyan ba ang may plano sa 2028?. Dahil kung ang iniisip mo ay eleksyon, hindi mo gugustuhing masaktan ang iba para lang magpatupad ng tama."
(And above all, the Speaker is known for making difficult decisions that are not always popular. Is that the behavior of someone planning for 2028? Because if an election is your focus, you wouldn’t want to upset others just to do what is right.)
The next presidential race will be held in May 2028.
"At ito po ang tanong: Hindi ba kayo nagtataka kung bakit pilit nilang pinupuntirya ang isang taong hindi naman lumalabas sa survey bilang kandidato sa 2028? Baka naman ginagamit lang nila si Speaker — para mang-bastos, para magpatawa, o para magpakitang-tao sa publiko," added the House spokesperson.
(And here’s the question: Isn’t it strange that they keep targeting someone who doesn’t even appear in surveys as a candidate for 2028? Perhaps they are simply using the Speaker — to mock, to entertain, or to present themselves favorably to the public.)
Romualdez, who steered the House to a very productive 19th Congress this past three years, was too busy with work to appear in any surveys, she said.
"Mabigat ang mga personal na banat. Pero mas mabigat ang mga isyung kinahaharap natin ngayon: katiwalian, kapabayaan, at maling paggamit ng pondo (The personal attacks are harsh. But the issues we face today are even heavier: corruption, negligence, and the misuse of public funds)," Abante reckoned.
Aa a parting shot to Romualdez's critics, the House mouthpiece said: "Habang abala kayo sa pagpapatawa at pagpapalusot, kami po ay abala sa trabaho. Tahimik man kami — hindi kami bulag. At hindi kami pipikit sa harap ng katiwalian."
(So to those who continue their defamation: while you are busy making jokes and excuses, we remain busy with our work. We may be silent — but we are not blind. And we will not close our eyes to corruption.)
Vice President Duterte--Senator Marcos' friend--was impeached by the House last Feb. 5 on several grounds, including the alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds.