(Micless and maceless notwithstanding GMA ultimately gains speakership. RTVM Photo)
ANGELES CITY — With the mace, the symbol of authority in the House of Representatives properly in place, Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo formalized her election as Speaker at around 8:48 p.m. on Monday or more than two hours after President Duterte’s state of the nation address (SONA).
Arroyo garnered a vote of 184 with 12 abstentions from 244 members present during a session after Duterte’s SONA.
Arroyo took her oath immediately after the announcement.
Lawmakers booted out Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as the leader of the House of Representatives just before the SONA on July 23, the same day the 17th Congress opened its 3rd regular session.
The House leadership issue delayed the President’s SONA for more than an hour. However, Alvarez sat in the Speaker’s chair in the House of Representative during the SONA.
Prior to Alvarez’s ouster, various House blocs reportedly met on Monday morning.
Reports also said an all-members caucus was held in the morning, but only 76 out of 291 representatives attended. Deputy Speaker Gwen Garcia confirmed they discussed reports that other House members were plotting to oust Alvarez.
By noon time, it was reported that lawmakers allied with Alvarez succeeded in adjourning the session to preempt the ouster moves, in the process failing to ratify the proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law in time for President Duterte’s signing before his SONA late afternoon.
However, House members returned to the session hall again by early afternoon and passed around and signed a manifesto calling for Alvarez’s removal as Speaker.
“We the elected members of the House of Representatives… in the interest of providing a more dynamic legislature attuned with the times and the needs of the people have formed a COALITION to endorse and support the election of our colleague Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as Speaker of the House of Representatives,” read the manifesto signed by 161 congressmen.
Arroyo was then seen on television at 3:50 p.m. Monday already at the podium reserved for the Speaker in the House of Representatives. But her microphone was shut down and she had to shout to her colleagues.
Davao City Mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte was reportedly behind the ouster of Alvarez. She reportedly campaigned for Arroyo and called for Alvarez’s ouster by calling on congressmen. But the mayor refused to make a comment when asked by reporters.
