Arroyo vs Alvarez

The power shift happened with the knowledge — if not blessing — of President Rodrigo Duterte, who was forced to wait a full hour before delivering his State of the Nation Address (Sona) to a joint session of Congress as the leadership row played out on national television.

Former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is now Pampanga 2nd district representative, has been named the new Speaker.

When President Rodrigo Duterte arrived at Batasan for his State of the Nation Address (SONA), before 4 pm, it was still Alvarez who welcomed him, along with Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

The President's SONA was delayed for more than an hour since he had to speak separately with Alvarez and Arroyo, according to congressional sources.

An agreement was reached to let Alvarez sit with the President during the speech, and to formalize Arroyo's election as Speaker through a proper resolution.

After the President's SONA, lawmakers stayed to hold a session.

Alvarez also made powerful enemies.

He slapped graft charges against his former bosom buddy, Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr., one of the top campaign contributors of the President.

Alvarez supported Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas in the latter’s political feud with the Marcoses in Ilocos Norte.

“Everybody had their own issues [with him],” Nograles said. “The zero budget was an issue for some of them, so was the removal of chairmanships from those who voted against the death penalty [bill],” he said.

While Alvarez was making enemies, Arroyo was consolidating her forces.

Of the 184 who voted for her, several were her former Cabinet officials, including Andaya, who was her budget secretary, and Bohol Rep. Arthur Yap, who was her agriculture secretary.

Another close ally is Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, who has joined the new supermajority.

Alvarez did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

Think before you speak

SENATOR  Leila de Lima has a “friendly” and “unsolicited” advice to President Rodrigo Duterte: Think before you speak.

De Lima was initially hesitant to comment on the President’s latest outburst, this time directed at United States  President Barack Obama, noting how Duterte would not like to be lectured  on by other people.

“Di ba nga sinasabi niya na ayaw siyang line-lecturan. Ayaw siyang pinagsasabihan. So mahirap…kasi ayaw ngang line-lecturan, ayaw sinasabihan. So maybe, this is just a friendly advice, unsolicited advice,” she said in an interview at the Senate on Tuesday.

“Kailangan ho kasi tandaan ng ating mahal na Pangulo na Pangulo po siya, and therefore, anuman po ang lumalabas sa bibig niya ay kailangan pinag-iisipin muna nang husto, at hindi padalos-dalos, na nagiging policy yan and official statement,” she said.

De Lima, who also traded barbs with  Duterte over her alleged involvement in the illegal drugs trade,  reminded that  a statement of any  president or  leader of  a state would   be  reflective  reflective of  his or her country’s  foreign policy.

“And therefore, hindi pupuwede yung ganyang style na nambu-bully, offensive din ang language,”   she said.

“Because pag ganun po, sa tingin ko po…I know, baka na naman po siya magalit if I say this – that yung mga ganyan po na mga offensive, intemperate language, does not only demean himself, but it also demeans his office and even the country in the eyes of the world. So kailangan po doble-ingat.”
The senator was referring to  Duterte’s  reported warning against anyone who would lecture him about human rights and extra-judicial killings during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Vientiane, Laos.

“You must be respectful. You just don’t throw question and statements. Putangina, mumurahin kita sa forum na yan,”  the President was quoted in the media as saying, supposedly referring  to Obama.
His remark was believed to be the reason Obama called off  his scheduled meeting with him this Tuesday. Duterte later expressed regrets for his comment.

De Lima was almost certain  that such an  incident  would have “repercussions either immediately or in the near future.”

In fact, she said, she  already received  some text messages  from her  former classmates, who are now based in the US, supposedly saying that they were  already  being insulted  there  by Americans.

“It’s just an advice, Mr. President…I’m not imposing on you. I’m not lecturing sa inyo. And siguro po yung ganitong sentiment, I’m almost sure or pretty sure, is being shared by many,”  the senator added.

-rappler