MANILA - Speaker Gloria Macapgal-Arroyo will continue to be influential in the Duterte administration even if she steps down as Speaker, opposition bet Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada said Sunday.

Tañada said while Arroyo, a third-termer Pampanga lawmaker, will no longer hold an elective post by July, he believes she will still wield influence over government policies.

“Depende kung sino ang magiging Speaker. I believe she will still be very influential even if she is out office. Alam naman natin kung sino ang mga lieutenants ni Speaker GMA,” Tañada said at the sidelines of “Harapan 2019: The ABS-CBN Senatorial Town Hall Debate.”

Tañada also noted that Arroyo’s political party, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, is “regrouping itself.”

“We will see who will become Speaker. Will it be a person identified with GMA or will it be Alan Cayetano who is very vocal against GMA.”

Cayetano is running for a congressional seat, representing Taguig-Pateros.

Another name being floated as the next Speaker is Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, who, according to Tañada, is also identified with Arroyo.

Tañada gave this forecast as he lashed out at Arroyo’s proposal to remove term limits for elected officials in the draft constitution she filed in the current Congress.

He said efforts by certain politicians to prolong their stay in power pushed him and fellow Otso Diretso bets to seek seats in the Senate.

“Nakakakaba itong halalan na ito dahil ang gustong maabot ng Pangulo ay ang three-fourths majority sa Senate. House is a foregone conclusion. Sa Senate doon ang labanan,” he said.

However, he said if the opposition wins the elections, it would not necessary block all government priority programs.

“Sa Senate siyempre hindi naman namin na sasabihin na ‘totally against’. Pero pag-aaralan namin ang mga proposals na ihahain, iyung manggaling sa House. Kung ito ay makabubuti sa maraming kababayan, bakit hindi?” he said.

“Sa tingin ko sa atmosphere na ganito na tinanggal ang term limits at tinanggal ang political dynasty hindi ako papayag sa proposal ni GMA.”