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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'No blessing' from Romualdez to pursue 4th impeachment rap vs VP Duterte--Ortega

'No blessing' from Romualdez to pursue 4th impeachment rap vs VP Duterte--Ortega

Published Feb 23, 2026 03:30 pm

At A Glance

  • Contrary to claims made by Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco, House Deputy Speaker La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V said on Monday, Feb. 23 that former Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez had nothing to do with the fourth impeachment complaint filed against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (PPAB)
Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (PPAB)


Contrary to claims made by Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco, House Deputy Speaker La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V said on Monday, Feb. 23 that former Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez had nothing to do with the fourth impeachment complaint filed against Vice President Sara Duterte.
"So walang basbas? (So there's no blessing [from Romualdez]?)" a reporter asked Ortega during a chance interview.
"Wala, ano. Kilala ninyo naman ako, kilala ninyo naman ang pinagdaanan natin noon (None. You know me, you know what I went through before)," replied Ortega, an endorser of the fourth complaint filed against the Vice President this year.
Ortega belongs to Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party, where Romualdez is the president.
"As part of the quad-comm, as part of the Blue [Ribbon committee], as part of the good government committee, so hindi na po siguro kailangan tanungin kung bakit inindorso ko tong fourth impeachment complaint (there's no more need to ask why I endorsed this fourth impeachment complaint)," he said.
The Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability and, to a lesser extent, the quad-comm carried out exhaustive oinvestigations in the previous 19th Congress--the results of which was made the basis for the 2025 impeachment complaint against the Vice President.
As for the actual filer of the fourth complaint, lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera, Ortega described him as a Batangas native who had 20 years experience in the legal profession.
But he said that it was his fellow endorser, Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr., who actually knew Cabrera.
Tiangco has been a Romualdez critic ever since the 20th Congress began in June 2025. For a time, the Navotas solon toyed with the idea of running for the speakership, but ended up supporting the current Speaker, Isabela 6th district Rep. Faustino "Bojie" Dy III.
"Matagal na po na hindi Speaker si Speaker Martin. But I guess he has to prove kung meron pong basbas si Speaker (Speaker Martin hasn't been Speaker for a while now. But I guess he has to prove if the complaints really had the Speaker's blessing)," the La Union lawmaker said.
"As far as I know, the former Speaker is concentrating on his district at recently nga po meron kaming meeting a few weeks ago at we are concentrating on our priority bills for the party, which is Lakas," he said.
(As far as I know, the former Speaker is concentrating on his district, and just recently we had a meeting a few weeks ago where we concentrated on our priority bills for the party, which is Lakas.)
Romualdez resigned as Speaker of the 20th Congress last Sept. 17, 2025 and was succeeded by Dy.
The Leyte solon served as Speaker for the entirety of the previous 19th Congress.
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