THREE TOP HOUSE leaders on Thursday, August 7, rallied behind Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, denouncing Senator Imee Marcos’ public call for his removal as an alarming breach of legislative courtesy and institutional boundaries.
Senior Deputy Speaker David Suarez of Quezon minced no words in calling the senator’s remarks “a blatant overreach into the affairs of a co-equal chamber.”
“Let me be clear: no senator, regardless of stature or history, has the right to dictate who should lead the House. That decision rests solely with the elected members of this chamber, and Speaker Romualdez continues to enjoy our overwhelming confidence,” Suarez said.
Suarez defended Romualdez’s handling of the impeachment complaint against the Vice President, saying the Speaker merely followed the constitutional mandate. “It is unfortunate that he is being vilified for upholding a process that the Constitution entrusts to the House,” Suarez added.
‘[N]o senator, regardless of stature or history, has the right to dictate who should lead the House. That decision rests solely with the elected members of this chamber, and … continues to enjoy our overwhelming confidence.’
OUT OF BOUNDS
Deputy Speaker Jay Khonghun of Zambales echoed Suarez’s sentiments, describing Senator Marcos’ remarks as “out of bounds” and warning against undermining the independence of Congress’ two chambers.
“Konting preno naman sa pagsasalita. May hangganan ang mga puwedeng sabihin sa publiko, lalo na kung nakakasira sa integridad ng ibang institusyon,” said Khonghun.
He emphasized that the Speaker was elected by his peers and continues to have the solid backing of the majority in the House.
Khonghun reminded critics that Romualdez did not file the impeachment complaint nor initiate its proceedings. “Ang ginawa niya ay trabaho niya. Ginampanan lang niya ang tungkulin bilang lider ng Kamara.”
MUTUAL RESPECT
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union urged lawmakers from both chambers to show mutual respect and avoid politicizing a legitimate constitutional process.
“Strong statements may grab headlines, but they do little to uphold the dignity of our institutions,” Ortega said. “We must not allow a legitimate constitutional process like impeachment to be dragged into a political circus.”
Ortega underlined that the transmission of the impeachment complaint had the support of at least one-third of the House, as required by law. “The Speaker did not act alone. This was a collective institutional decision—one rooted in the Constitution,” he stressed.
The House leaders cautioned that public calls for Speaker Romualdez’s ouster risk shifting the focus away from the substance of the impeachment complaint and toward unnecessary political distractions.
“If we want to talk about accountability, then let’s talk about the allegations in the complaint,” said Khonghun. “Hindi yung nagtuturo tayo ng mga personalidad na walang ginawa kundi tuparin ang kanilang tungkulin.”
All three officials reaffirmed their trust in Speaker Romualdez’s leadership and warned that any attempt to interfere with House affairs weakens the foundations of democracy.
“Let us set aside divisiveness and stand by the rule of law,” Ortega concluded. – elamigo
