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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Puno confirms Romualdez's plan to resign as House Speaker

Puno confirms Romualdez's plan to resign as House Speaker

Published Sep 17, 2025 08:53 am

At A Glance

  • Deputy Speaker Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Ronaldo "Ronnie" Puno has confirmed Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez's plans to resign as House Speaker during plenary session Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 17.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez (PPAB)
House Speaker Martin Romualdez (PPAB)


Deputy Speaker Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Ronaldo "Ronnie" Puno has confirmed Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez's plans to resign as House Speaker during plenary session Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 17.
Puno, in a series of radio interviews Wednesday morning, said Romualdez has recommended to party leaders the election of Isabela 6th district Rep. Faustino "Bojie" Dy III as his successor.
Dy, a Partido Fedederal ng Pilipinas (PFP) stalwart, is a deputy speaker in the current 20th Congress. President Marcos chairs PFP.
"Mayroon kaming mga party meetings this morning, ifa-finalize yung mga planong ganito. Kahapon (Sept. 16) pinatawag kami ng aming Speaker Martin Romualdez at sinabihan niya kami na balak na niyang magbitiw sa kanyang pwesto ngayong araw na ito," Puno told DZMM radio in a somber tone.
(We have party meetings this morning to finalize these plans. Yesterday we were called to a meeting by our Speaker Martin Romualdez and he said he was planning to resign from his post today.)
"Nirekomenda niya sa aming mga party leaders na kung pwede, iboto namin si Deputy Speaker Bojie Dy at tulungan siya (He recommended to the party leaders to vote, if possible, for Deputy Speaker Bojie Dy and to help him)," said Puno, chairman of the National Unity Party (NUP).
Puno's remarks confirmed the rumors that came out following Tuesday's early suspension of plenary session that Romualdez, president of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), was on his way out as Speaker.
A party leaders' caucus was reportedly called after Tuesday's plenary session, which turned out to be Romualdez's farewell to the high-ranking solons as per Puno.
"This is a voluntary thing sa panig ni Speaker Martin (on the part of Speaker Martin)," Puno said in the same interview.
What will happen?
A resignation will vacate the Speaker's seat and trigger the nomination of congressmen who think they have the votes to win in the 300-plus strong legislative chamber. This means that Dy can still face challengers from among his colleagues.
Wednesday's plenary session will start at 3 p.m.
Puno said Romualdez had been thinking of stepping down "for weeks" now amid the flood control projects corruption scandal. Several House members and senators have been implicated in the controversy, which has caused public outrage.
Puno says the party leaders repeatedly tried, but failed, to convince Romualdez to remain as House leader.
"Iniisip niya magbitiw na talaga dahil sabi niya masyado na daw ang kontrobersya, gusto niyang ipagtanggol ang reputasyon ng ating mababang kapulungan. Syempre kami naman kinukumbinsi naman siya na huwag talaga, huwag siyang magbitiw," he said of Romualdez.
(He wants to resign once and for all because he says the controversies are too much, he wants to defend the reputation of the lower chamber. As for us, of course we're trying to convince him not to resign.)
'Haharapin ko ang mga paratang'
"Ang gusto niya kasi, ito kasi maraming imbestigasyon tapos binanggit pa yung pangalan niya. Ang sabi niya ang dapat, 'Siguro I step aside, haharapin ko itong mga paratang na ito.' I mean hindi maganda yung puro rumor tapos sasabihin ng tao ginagamit ko yung posisyon ko para umiwas sa pagsusuring ito,” the Antipolo solon added.
(What he wants is, there are many investigations going on and his name was even mentioned. What's needed he said, 'I think I should step aside and face these allegations.' I mean it's not good to have all these rumors and then the people will only say I used my position to avoid this inquiry.)
Puno said there was also an earlier suggestion for Romualdez to go on leave instead of resigning, but the latter nixed this.

"Wala ako talagang dapat ikahiiya at wala naman akong masamang ginagawa at sa tignin ko pwede kong ipakita yan sa kung saan mang imbestigasyon (I really dont have anything to be ashamed of and I didn't do anything wrong, and I can show that in any investigation)," he quoted the Leyte congressman as saying. 

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