ANGELES CITY – Lakas-Kampi-CMP party vice president for policy Rep. Rodolfo Antonino downplayed yesterday the scenario of Pres. Arroyo landing as Speaker of the House should she run and win in the congressional race in Pampanga’s second district.
In a telephone interview with Punto Central Luzon, Antonino said that only the “power of the purse” and “power of the presidency”, and not the members of Congress, could determine the speakership of the Lower House.
“There is no guarantee that even if Lakas-Kampi-CMD congressmen dominate the House after next year’s elections, they will be able to seat whoever they want as Speaker,” he said.
Antonino, who will seek a third term in Nueva Ecija’s fourth district, noted a “historical pattern showing that House speakers were always allied with the sitting president”.
Antonino said, however, that Pres. Arroyo has not revealed to any of administration party stalwart any plan to run in next year’s polls. The President’s frequent visits to her second district in Pampanga continues to fuel talk she will indeed run for Congress, while her son Rep. Mikey Arroyo, who is only on his second term representing the same district, will reportedly either retire from politics or run under a partylist.
The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) office for Central Luzon said yesterday the President as again in the second district yesterday, her 46th visit to the district this year.
Pres. Arroyo visited remote and mountainous Barangay Diaz in Porac town to inspect the construction of the 100,000th classroom building to be undertaken by her administration.
Antonino said that should the next president come from the opposition, he even expected that members of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party would eventually gravitate to the party of the sitting president.
“That has always happened. In the time of Pres. Ramos, his Lakas party eventually became the dominant party. During the time of Erap (Pres. Estrada), many went to the PMP (Partido ng Masang Pilipino),” he noted.
He said the “power of the purse” prompt such scenarios since politicians need financial support from Malacanang to carry out projects for the benefit of their constituents.
“It happened before and I expect it to happen should the next president come from another party,” he said.
Despite low survey ratings of administration presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro, Antonino said he remained confident that Teodoro has chances of winning.
While downplaying the reliability of surveys, Antonino said that the surveys “should pose as challenge and opportunity” to members of Lakas-Kampi-CMD nationwide to show their leadership at their own levels and work for Teodoro’s victory.
“This is where party machinery can be seen and this will be highlighted if Gibo (Teodoro) wins the presidency. We must work double-time to have him exposed (to voters),” he added.
In a telephone interview with Punto Central Luzon, Antonino said that only the “power of the purse” and “power of the presidency”, and not the members of Congress, could determine the speakership of the Lower House.
“There is no guarantee that even if Lakas-Kampi-CMD congressmen dominate the House after next year’s elections, they will be able to seat whoever they want as Speaker,” he said.
Antonino, who will seek a third term in Nueva Ecija’s fourth district, noted a “historical pattern showing that House speakers were always allied with the sitting president”.
Antonino said, however, that Pres. Arroyo has not revealed to any of administration party stalwart any plan to run in next year’s polls. The President’s frequent visits to her second district in Pampanga continues to fuel talk she will indeed run for Congress, while her son Rep. Mikey Arroyo, who is only on his second term representing the same district, will reportedly either retire from politics or run under a partylist.
The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) office for Central Luzon said yesterday the President as again in the second district yesterday, her 46th visit to the district this year.
Pres. Arroyo visited remote and mountainous Barangay Diaz in Porac town to inspect the construction of the 100,000th classroom building to be undertaken by her administration.
Antonino said that should the next president come from the opposition, he even expected that members of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party would eventually gravitate to the party of the sitting president.
“That has always happened. In the time of Pres. Ramos, his Lakas party eventually became the dominant party. During the time of Erap (Pres. Estrada), many went to the PMP (Partido ng Masang Pilipino),” he noted.
He said the “power of the purse” prompt such scenarios since politicians need financial support from Malacanang to carry out projects for the benefit of their constituents.
“It happened before and I expect it to happen should the next president come from another party,” he said.
Despite low survey ratings of administration presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro, Antonino said he remained confident that Teodoro has chances of winning.
While downplaying the reliability of surveys, Antonino said that the surveys “should pose as challenge and opportunity” to members of Lakas-Kampi-CMD nationwide to show their leadership at their own levels and work for Teodoro’s victory.
“This is where party machinery can be seen and this will be highlighted if Gibo (Teodoro) wins the presidency. We must work double-time to have him exposed (to voters),” he added.
