Billionaires’ game

DEVELOPMENTS

related to the race for the Speaker position of the House of Representatives, the country’s fourth highest and most powerful elective government post, have virtually consolidated in the public mind the impression that winning the position is a Billionaires’ game.

Earlier, former Speaker Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez revealed that winning the House leadership has indeed become a monetary gamble which is quite unsettling. He even pegged the tag price for every congressman’s vote at ₱1 million or a budget of at least ₱ 160 million for the entire chamber’s majority.

Coming from someone who has been through so many controversies, the disclosure merely exposed what has been suspected all along about the silent haggles that come with being honored as House Speaker.

Latest reports indicate that Alvarez, from Davao del Norte, in now out of the race but his statement was cryptic enough, given that in his interview by Karen Davila over ABS-CBN, he claimed he “purposely” did not approach his funders because the use of money in choosing the House leader could endanger the position.

Asked to identify his funders, Alvarez understandably kept mum. Some knowledgeable people, however, said they know them to be prominent billionaire tycoons. His revelation, however, merely reflects how our political system has degenerated into a partisan lottery.

From a roster of at least 11 lawmakers salivating to get the speakership, latest reports said the list has now been trimmed down to about only five, even as certain

House members insist it is now down to only two – Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco.

Included among the original aspirants and potential bets, aside from Alvarez, were Senator and incoming Antique Rep. Loren Legarda and Reps. Fredenil Castro (Capiz), Alex Advincula (Cavite), Aurelio Gonzales (Pampanga), Ronaldo Zamora (San Juan City), Abraham Tolentino (Cavite). Handlers of one dark horse, Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte, instantly kept silent when President Duterte declared he

would resign should his son join the race.

While the next Speaker may come from a coalition, the ruling PDP-Laban can be expected to do everything to corner the position. Interestingly, party-list representatives who comprise 20% of Congress, have organized their own coalition led by 1Pacman Rep. Mike Romero, himself a billionaire, who said they will surely provide the swing vote.

Given these developments, the House speakership could still remain a Billionaires’ game.