LP members joining pro-Duterte majority in Congress

MANILA -- If you can't beat them, join them.

Following the Liberal Party’s (LP) stinging loss of the presidential race to PDP-Laban standard bearer Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, several of its members have joined the camp of the country’s incoming 16th Chief Executive for the 17th Congress.

Sonny Belmonte, House Speaker during the 16th Congress, confirmed that several of his own allies have asked for his blessings to join the new majority after he announced his own plans to run for speaker in the next Congress against Duterte’s candidate, incoming Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.

Belmonte assembled his partymates and allies last Wednesday night.

“During the meeting you saw in Edsa Shangri-La, I said l would run for speaker. Following morning about 20 members came to my HQ (headquarters) and in reaction said they didn't want to be in the minority. And that most shared this view. We contacted Alvarez and we two talked at my house and I told him many LPs wanted to be part of the majority. I cited his proposed covenant with the NPC as something we can do, and he agreed. Later that night I met with about 40 members and reported to them. I designated (Rodolfo) Farinas, (Miro) Quimbo and (Dax) Cua to advance it further, as l myself prefer to be in the minority. I don't know how many LP congressmen will actually join the majority or the minority. I assume most prefer the majority," he said.

Cua was spotted at the meeting of the party-list coalition and Lakas-CMD Congressmen at the Midas hotel earlier that day.

Under House rules, the runner-up in the speakership election automatically becomes the minority leader of the Lower House.

Iloilo Rep. Jerry Trenas and Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento both confirmed that members of the outgoing ruling party have joined the Duterte bandwagon although they will remain LP members.

Trenas said they would be part of the majority coalition along with some independent congressmen.

"In the same way that others with different parties join their parties… ang Liberals sasama sa majority hindi ko pa alam ilan," Trenas said.

Rep. Winston Castelo (LP, 2nd District of Quezon City) praised Belmonte for allowing LP members to join the emerging majority in the House of Representatives.

“What Speaker Belmonte did relieves many LP members of the political burden to oppose the incoming administration,” Castelo, chair of the House committee on Metro Manila development, said in a statement.

“This is particularly true for LP members in Mindanao,” Castelo said.

“What Speaker Belmonte did is statesmanship,” he also said, adding that his move frees them of making what he described as “painful choices.”

Castelo praised Belmonte for “sacrificing himself,” saying “he was ready to position his colleagues for pragmatic considerations that would benefit them and their respective congressional districts.”

“His decision would allow his colleagues to get committee chairmanships that would further allow them to grow professionally and enable them to apply their expertise on nagging policy issues besetting the country,” Castelo said.

Trenas belongs to the Visayan bloc in Congress, and he confirmed that the bloc composed of congressmen from different parties are making the jump to Duterte’s side.

The bloc reportedly has 30 congressmen initially signing a manifesto of support for Duterte and Alvarez.

Other prominent LP solons who signed the manifesto are: Reps. Lucy Torres Gomez (4th District, Leyte); Arthur Defensor Jr. (3rd District, Iloilo); Rene Relampagos (1st District, Bohol); Cesar V. Sarmiento (Lone District, Catanduanes); Ben Evardone (Lone District, Eastern Samar); Paolo Javier (Lone District, Antique); Gerard Gullas (1st District, Cebu) and Richard Garin (1st District, Iloilo).

Neophytes also expressed their support for Alvarez. Among them: Reps. Lucille Nava (Lone District, Guimaras); Henry Ong (2nd District, Leyte); Raul Boboy Tupas (5th District, Iloilo); Melecio Yap (1st District, Negros Occidental); Manuel Sagarbarris (2nd District, Negros Occidental); Greg Gasataya (Lone District, Bacolod City); and Arnie Teves (3rd District, Negros Oriental).

Incumbent Rep. Sharon Garin, sister in-law of Health Secretary Jannette Garin, is the lone partylist solon to sign the manifesto.

The Alvarez-led, pro-Duterte coalition in the Lower House already has the support of the Nacionalista Party (NP), the Lakas CMD, the party list coalition and the Nationalist People’s Coalition, whose leaders Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco and Ramon Ang joined Alvarez at the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) socials at a Makati hotel Wednesday night.

The National Unity Party (NUP) is also expected to sign a similar agreement with Duterte’s PDP-Laban, according to NUP executive director Reggie Velasco.

“NUP has earlier expressed support to President-elect Rody Duterte and his chosen Speaker, Cong. Pantaleon Alvarez. NUP and PDP-Laban leaders will meet on Tuesday, which hopefully will lead to the conclusion of a comprehensive coalition pact between NUP and PDP-Laban that will bind not only our Congressmen but all our elected local government officials, from Cagayan to Tawi Tawi, in working hand in hand in forging a common legislative agenda and ensuring the success of the incoming Duterte administration," Velasco said.

Data analyzed by ABS-CBN Investigative and Research showed that nearly half (116 out of 238) or 49% of incoming district representatives are LP members. Most of them are from NCR (15) and CALABARZON (14).

Only three out of 238 prospective district representatives are from PDP-Laban, the political party of presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte. They are Erik Martinez of the 3rd District of Valenzuela, Jun Papandayan of the 2nd District of Lanao del Sur, and Pantaleon Alvarez of the 1st District of Davao del Norte.

The Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC will comprise 18% of district representatives in the 17th Congress with 42 members. NP and NUP will each comprise 10% of the total no. of district representatives, with 23 members each.

The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) got 11 seats or 5%.

There are only four elected district representatives who ran as independent candidates — Wes Gatchalian (1st District, Valenzuela), Albee Benitez (3rd District, Negros Occidental), Ramon Vicente Rocamora (Lone District, Siquijor), and Maxie Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro).

De La Salle University-based political analyst Richard Heydarian is not surprised with the recent turn of events.

“I think we are beginning to see the reenactment of election cycle turncoatism. It's astonishing how Duterte is pulling off bandwagoning en masse despite the fact that he doesn't have a leash-like prerogative on the release of the pork barrel, comes from a minor party and peripheral region, and garnered fewer percentage of votes than his predecessors," he said.

He, however, thinks that Duterte himself is part of the reason why some politicians are transferring to the majority coalition.

“It's a testament also to the sheer charisma and political traction that Digong brings to the table. Let's also be honest: Digong is smartly utilizing the power of appointments to build bridges and consolidate partnership with the legislature," Heydarian said.

Heydarian believes Duterte has effectively consolidated power.

"I foresee a powerful and determined president, especially in the first year in office. Given presumptive-president Duterte's growing (prospective) control over the legislature via trusted friends and allies, and his promise to enhance the capacity and raise salaries of the armed forces and national police, he seems increasingly secure in his position. But much will also depend on how he conducts himself and whether he operates within or without the boundaries of his constitutional mandate. He has huge political capital but not a carte blanche."

For now, Belmonte is focusing on his remaining task as Speaker—heading the side of the House of Representatives when Congress sits as the National Board of Canvassers for President and Vice President this week.