Seven Negros Occidental lawmakers voted for the reelection of Rep. Martin Romualdez (Leyte, 1st District) as speaker of the 20th House of Representatives, while Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez abstained.
Romualdez, who was unopposed, was reelected to the House speakership with 269 votes, while 34 lawmakers abstained.
Benitez, who ran as an independent in the May polls, said he did not vote for Romualdez because he believes the House of Representatives needs a leader who will stand firmly behind President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., not pull him down.
The House needs a leader who can help unite the nation behind the president’s vision for the country, Benitez said.
“Congress has been plagued by controversies involving questionable budget allocations, politicized relief, and selfish power plays — all of which have contributed to distrust, disunity, and dysfunction. Our constituents and even our colleagues now question the integrity, transparency, and sincerity of the House,” Benitez said.
Benitez said he has decided not to align himself with the Majority, the Minority, or the opposition.
“I will serve as an independent member of the House — fully supportive of the President and committed to encouraging broader support for his leadership,” Benitez said.
“Our country needs a government that works — decisively, efficiently, and with the people’s interest front and center. This administration must succeed. The better we deliver services, the more lives we improve, especially among those who rely most on government support,” he added.
This is not the time for self-interest or political maneuvering, he said.
Benitez said he will support reforms that uplift the lives of our people, restore public trust through transparency, and help bring lasting, meaningful change.
“As we enter the crucial second half of this administration, I am ready to do the hard work that our people rightfully expect and deserve,” he said.
Benitez son, Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District), and six other lawmakers from Negros Occidental voted for Romualdez.
They are representatives Julio Ledesma IV (1st District) , Alfredo Marañon III (2nd District), Jeffrey Ferrer (4th District), Emilio Bernardino Yulo (5th District ), Mercedes Alvarez (6th District), and Manuel Frederick Ko (Abang Lingkod).
Ferrer said he voted for Romualdez because he has done a lot to help the 4th District of Negros Occidental, especially during the unrest at Kanlaon Volcano.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Romualdez “wants to be the a speaker for all so I’m sure he will find ways also to continue helping all the congressional districts” in the country.*