SINIBAK sa kanyang kinaaanibang partido ang isang miyembro ng National Unity Party (NUP) matapos umanong ayawan si Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez na maging Speaker ng Kamara sa 20th Congress.

Noong Sabado ay inanunsyo ni NUP President at Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte ang pagsibak kay Deputy Speaker at Cebu Rep. Vincent Franco ‘Duke” Frasco sa kanilang partido dahil sumuway umano ito sa kagustuhan ng partido na si Romualdez ang susuportahang Speaker sa susunod na Kongreso.

“The party leadership has decided to expel Duke (Frasco) from the NUP because his unilateral decision not to support Rep. Martin’s continued stay as Speaker in the next Congress is a blatant breach of the NUP’s official position of unequivocal support for the Speaker to keep his premier post in the next Congress,” ani Villafuerte.

Kabilang ang mga miyembro ng NUP sa mahigit 277 Congressmen na nagpasya na si Romualdez ang kanilang itutulak na Speaker sa 20th Congress na pormal na magsisimula sa July 28, 2025 subalit sinuway ito ni Frasco.

Si Frasco ay manugang ni Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia at asawa ni Department of Tourism Secretary Maria Esperanza Christina Frasco.

“Given that this has been the unanimous stance of our party, Duke’s one-man decision to withdraw support from the Speaker runs counter to the NUP’s official manifestation of support for Congressman Martin—and means his status as a member of our party has become untenable,” ayon pa kay Villafuerte.

“He should have first discussed his contrary position with our party leadership, rather than go out in public and breach our unanimous party decision. Going to the media to publicly oppose our party position, especially without prior consultation with any of our party officers, is punishable with expulsion from the NUP,” ayon pa sa mambabatas.

Sa ngayon ay wala nang malinaw na kalaban si Romualdez sa Speakership sa Kamara sa 20th Congress subalit unang lumutang ang pangalan nina Bacolod Rep. Albee Benitez at itinutulak naman ni Vice President Sara Duterte ang kapatid na si Davao 1st District Congressman Paolo “Polong” Duterte sa nasabing posisyon.

(BERNARD TAGUINOD)