PDP-Laban congressman Pantaleon Alvarez revealed during a media interview that a total of 50 LP solons from the ruling Liberal Party express their support to Mayor Duterte’s camp as they set to jump ship from their previous allegiance to Rep. Belmonte and join the exodus of support for the Davao del Norte Representative which was chosen by Mayor Duterte to run as House speaker under his administration.
According to Alvarez a bloc from the outgoing administration party will join the PDP-Laban coalition, the group that already got the support of Nacionalista and NPC in the lower house. The 50 LP members would formalize their coalition with the PDP-Laban next week. The Liberal Party is considered as the most dominant political party in the Lower House with over 100 members representing almost 35 percent of the 290-member 16th Congress.
Rep. Alvarez also revealed that during his meeting with House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of Quezon City, the outgoing speaker expressed his support for the leadership of Mayor Duterte, but noted that he would contest the speakership. Nonetheless Rep. Belmonte clarified that he will not stop LP members from shifting party allegiance.
Congressman Belmonte also confirmed the meeting with Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez and noted that he had left it to each LP member to make a judgment on whether to join the majority or to stick with the Liberal Party who will probably lead the minority group in the Philippine Lower House.
According to some sources the main reason why Rep. Belmonte allowed Liberal Party members to support the speakership of Alvarez to secure some plum posts without leaving the Liberal Party but political analysts noted that the LP members might be late because some of major committees were already given to the groups that immediately showed their support to PDP-Laban.
Some members of the House of Representatives were eyeing for the top position in the House of Representatives such as the Majority Floor Leader, and House Appropriations Committee which will be given to the closest member of the PDP-Laban.