After Martin Romualdez’s exit, Palace vows ‘constructive collaboration’ with Home

A 4 sentence assertion caps off — for now — an eventful, generally tumultuous first three years with cousins Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Ferdinand Martin Romualdez as heads of co-equal branches of presidency

In bidding goodbye to Home Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s cousin and long-time ally, Malacañang selected a curiously impartial tone.

The Palace touched not on the lengthy filial and private bond of the 2 Ferdinands, however as a substitute targeted on the promised “constructive collaboration” with lawmakers, in addition to Romualdez’s successor and the President’s partymate, newly-elected Speaker Faustino Dy III. 

“The President acknowledges the important function of the Home of Representatives, particularly at a time when the general public calls for seen outcomes and Congress is known as upon to take energetic steps that handle individuals’s considerations and ship actual enhancements in every day life,” mentioned the Palace in a press release late Wednesday, September 17, hours after Romualdez introduced his resignation and Dy took his oath. 

“We respect the independence of the chamber and acknowledge the contributions of former Speaker Martin Romualdez. We now stay up for working with Speaker Faustino Dy III to advance measures that strengthen the financial system, guarantee fundamental companies, and defend our democracy,” mentioned Malacañang in a press release launched by way of the Presidential Communications Workplace. 

“The Administration stays dedicated to constructive collaboration with all lawmakers to maintain the concentrate on the wants of Filipino households and transfer the nation ahead.” 

Romualdez’s resignation is backdropped by outrage over corruption linked to substandard or non-existent flood management and infrastructure initiatives — a public crackdown that was triggered by Marcos’ fourth State of the Nation Tackle (SONA), delivered within the very corridor the place the previous speaker delivered his resignation speech.

The previous speaker himself has been linked to those anomalous initiatives, by a contractor talking earlier than the Senate. An in depth ally of Romualdez, former appropriations chairperson Zaldy Co, has additionally been linked to anomalous initiatives as effectively.   

Marcos has since created an unbiased fee to probe flood management and infrastructure initiatives from the final 10 years. 

The four-sentence assertion from Malacañang caps off — for now — what’s been an eventful, and generally tumultuous first three years or so of the Marcos administration. 

Romualdez was elected Home Speaker in late July 2022, when the nineteenth Congress opened. He was not the one member of the Romualdez clan to be elected to a alternative place within the Home. His former aide and nephew, presidential son Ilocos Norte Consultant Ferdinand Alexander Marcos III, was elected then senior deputy majority chief. 

Then-speaker Romualdez’s spouse, Tingog Consultant Yedda Romualdez was chairperson of the highly effective accounts committee, which controls the Home’s funds. Within the twentieth Congress, a 3rd Romualdez joined the nationwide legislature: Martin and Yedda’s eldest son Andrew Julian, who additionally represents Tingog. Consultant Marcos can be now the Home Majority Chief. 

In a briefing with the media earlier than the previous speaker’s formal resignation and Dy’s election, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro mentioned Romualdez’s resignation could be welcome, particularly if it’s meant to protect the Home’s integrity and guarantee an unbiased probe into flood management and infrastructure initiatives. Consultant Marcos, talking to the media on September 16, mentioned this was additionally his uncle’s motive for stepping down. 

The three Ferdinands — President Marcos, former speaker Romualdez, and Consultant Marcos — had met on Tuesday, September 16, the youngest of the three Romualdez males confirmed to media. It was in that assembly, mentioned Consultant Marcos, that his uncle knowledgeable the President of his resignation.

Sources indicated that issues acquired emotional throughout that assembly — though it’s arduous to inform how Representatives Martin Romualdez and Sandro Marcos introduced themselves. 

President Marcos himself has not made a public assertion on his cousin’s resignation. 

Martin Romualdez’s exit as Home Speaker was a long-time coming, by all indications — allies of President Marcos, together with a legislator associated to the Romualdez clan by affinity, have been overtly floated as attainable replacements within the twentieth Congress. But the numbers have been all in Martin Romualdez’s favor — till he introduced he was stepping down, no less than in accordance with Consultant Marcos.  

Essentially the most public of disagreements between cousins President Marcos and former speaker Romualdez was over what would transform the 2025 funds, which the chief needed to overhaul as a result of it didn’t align with its spending priorities.

Phrase has it that it’s that funds, as handed by Congress, that prompted a scolding for Romualdez and Co — both from the President himself or First Girl Liza Araneta-Marcos, dependng on who you discuss to. 

The 2025 funds mess, it seems, was merely a preview of the larger mess that may be corruption associated to infrastructure initiatives. 

Marcos himself has promised that none of his allies — Martin Romualdez included — could be spared from the unbiased probe. 

Will the Palace be as steely if the outcomes of that probe implicates shut allies, together with the President’s family members? We await the statements that may come. – Rappler.com