• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Bacolod Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez as the next House Speaker?
It all depends on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the House leaders, aside from Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, disclosed his son, Negros Occidental 3rd district Rep. Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez, on Sunday.
The name of Benitez as a possible House Speaker has cropped up again, following the disclosure of contractor-couple Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, who claimed that lawmakers got percentages of funds from projects, with the name of Romualdez being used to obtain commissions from infrastructure projects.
In the Upper House, Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto on Monday replaced Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero as the Senate president, as the latter is in trouble for receiving P30 million donations from a contractor.
“Congressman Albee will not push himself, if hindi gusto ng mga tao. I think, where this is coming from, is also from other House members who are feeling the need for change and stability,” said Rep. Javi, the son of the Bacolod solon, while also noting the clashes between the legislative and executive departments, President and the Vice President, Senate and the House of Representatives.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin has condemned the “recent spins” of members of the House of Representatives, whom he said were “attempting to shift the blame for their own corruption and failures onto the Executive Branch.”
“I think we need more stability,” said the younger Benitez, who led the inspection of flood control mitigation projects on Sunday in E.B. Magalona, cities of Silay and Talisay, which belong to the Negros Occidental 3rd district.
“And Congressman Albee brings that stability. We’ll see. We will find out in the next few days, or weeks the true sentiments of the people within the House,” the neophyte solon said of his dad.
The elder Benitez did not vote for Romualdez for Speaker of the House of the 20th Congress. He belongs to the Independent Bloc.
Rep. Javi just laughed when asked if there is now a petition for Rep. Albee to challenge the leadership of Romualdez, who is the first cousin of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos.
“We will see. We will see,” he replied.
The younger Benitez also said that it will be an advantage for Negros if his father gets the Speakership.
The Speaker of the House sets the order of business, agenda, and can determine where the funds go. That is why it is very important to choose a Speaker, not only for now, for the next few Congresses, if ever, he added.
He (Speaker) can determine where the funds should go, he added.
In a statement he posted on his Facebook account, Rep. Javi called on national leaders to find a working solution to the division of government institutions.
“We cannot afford prolonged political theatrics. What we need is accountability with cooperation, debate with respect and unity with purpose. This is how we strengthen our institutions, restore trust and show that the Philippines is a trusted leader and dependable partner on the world stage,” he added.
The younger Benitez also reported that about P5.3 billion worth of flood control mitigation projects were implemented in the Negros Occidental 3rd district over nine years, starting from 2016 to 2025.
Siblings Albee and Jose Francisco Benitez served as the congressmen of the Negros Occidental 3rd district during that period.
“There were no ghost projects,” the younger Benitez declared, citing accomplishment reports he got from the Department of Public Works and Highways, concerned local government officials, and barangay captains.*
