Amid rumors of a leadership change in the House of Representatives, Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco says that the "most important vote" doesn't come from the 300-plus strong legislative chamber, but from Malacañang.

Tiangco--perhaps the most vocal critic of Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez's speakership in the 20th Congress--was asked after plenary session Tuesday, Sept. 16 whether or not there are truly enough House members who want to change the leadership.

"Alam naman natin realidad ng Speakership, di ba? Wala naman yung pinaka-importanteng numero, wala naman dito sa loob ng House of Representatives (We know the reality about the Speakership, right? There is no most important number, it's not here in the House of Representatives)," Tiangco said matter-of-factly.

"Let's accept that fact, di ba (right)? The most important vote is not inside the House of Representatives. Di ba (right)?...it's out of respect--Di ba, walang gagalawa dito because out of respect doon sa Malacañang (Out of respect for Malacañang, nobody will act here in Malacañang)," he said.

Tiangco was alluding to the long-held notion that whoever wins Speaker of House has the blessing of the sitting president. It follows, then, that any change in leadership in the lower chamber must also have the president's go signal.

In the case of Romualdez and President Marcos, the two are actually cousins.

"Yun naman ang hinihintay ng lahat di ba?...syempre lahat naman kami, supportive of the President. So ayaw naman naming gumalaw nang sa tingin namin na hindi pa pupwede (That’s what everyone is waiting for right?...of course all of us are supportive of the President. So we don’t want to act if we think that it's still not possible)," Tiangco said.

Romualdez has been the House Speaker since the previous 19th Congress, which lasted for three years.