By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — Multisectoral group “Kongreso ng Bayan” on Thursday (June 19) urged House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to resign from his post.
“Kongreso ng Bayan” is a coalition of different groups, leaders from religious, indigenous, Muslims, lawyers, OFWs, business, and transport sectors, and retired military personnel and ordinary Filipinos.
They had earlier withdrew their support from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr.
In a press conference at Max’s Restaurant in Quezon Memorial Circle, the coalition called for the resignation of the House Speaker, said that “We are calling the immediate resignation of House Speaker Martin Romualdez,” adding that “Resign, Speaker Martin Romualdez now na.!!”
Police Col. Jonathan Galang (Ret.), Filipino Guerilla Forces (FGF), said there is now a lack of leadership and in his personal view, it’s now time for Speaker Romualdez to step aside and turn over the leadership of Congress to another Member of Congress.
Galang said that they are presenting to the people the real situation and open the eyes on what can be done by the people themselves in their respective Congressional District such that the action should emanate from the people affected themselves.
“Impeachment is a political exercise. At least, we saw in the 19th Congress that they ‘balanced’ the proceedings,” he said.
“The initiatives should emanate from the people on the ground to take action themselves in the Congressional District by voicing out their sentiments on their Congressmen,” he added.
Atty. Virgil Garcia, AFP General (Ret.), said that the betrayal of public trust was committed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. for treachery to Filipinos when he ordered the arrest and turn over of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.
Garcia said that the case of falsification of legislative documents they filed against Speaker Romualdez is now pending before the Office of the Ombudsman (Ombudsman) because the constitutional issue filed by Atty. Vic Rodriguez before the Supreme Court should first be resolved.
He vouched for the “impeccable integrity” of Ombudsman Samuel Martires in the resolution of the falsification of legislative documents they filed against Speaker Romualdez.
“Sana ay mapukaw namin ang natutulog nyong damdamin. Nararapat bang manatili si Speaker Romualdez o dapat na syang palitan. Kami po ay nagsisimula lamang at nasa inyo na po ang susunod na hakbang,” Garcia said.
“Ayaw talaga ng tao (Filipino) ng political dynasty. Dapat maramdaman ng bawat Kinatawan natin na ayaw na ng tao kay Speaker Romualdez,” he added.
Garcia said that they are not asking for the head of Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, in the sense that, he is a lawyer and as Presiding Officer of the Senate Impeachment Court, he just issued an order to the House Prosecution Team in order to certify whether or not the prohibition on the one year bar rule on the filing of an impeachment complaint was violated and if the 20th Congress would still pursue the Impeachment Complaint against Vice President Duterte.
Chito B. Balintay, National Chairman Alyansa ng Katutubong Ayta ng Pilipinas, Inc., said “We live in hand-to-mouth existence as minority communities are ‘no read and write’ and the could not resist.”
Balintay cited that in Japan if such anomaly is committed, an individual is committing “hara-kiri” out of shame and delicadeza for the irregularity or anomaly they have committed against the people.
“Sa tingin ko, wala ng rason para nandyan pa si Speaker Romualdez,” he said.
Paylot Cabalic, Chairman of Zambales Chapter of Alyansa ng Katutubong Ayta ng Pilipinas, Inc.,
Among others, also present in the press conference was Jayson C. Dolfo, Vice Chairman of Kilusang Pinatubo Botolan in Zambales.
Col. Segundo Metran, Jr., PA (Ret.), Founder and Supremo Filipino Guerilla Forces (FGF), said “Walanghiya sya dahil winawalanghiya nya ang Pilipino. Sya ang pinakawalanghiyang Pilipino sa buong mundo kasi ginagago at kapag muling ilagay syang Speaker, lahat tayo gago.”
“Ngayon ang ating gobyerno pulitiko pa rin para pabagsakin ang mga Duterte. Speaker Romualdez, kung may kahihiyan ka pati pamilya mo, magresign ka na,” Metran said.
He asked Speaker Martin Romualdez to turn over to another Congressman the position of Speakership.
Metran stressed that they are now consolidating the cases before the Comelec against Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia.
“Ang laban sa gobyerno ay hindi armas. People’s Initiative. Bubuhatin natin si Speaker Romualdez sa kanyang upuan. Walanghiyaan na lang. Ganoon ang gawin natin,” he said.
Metran urged Filipinos to fight corruption and fight communism such that without corruption, communism would not prosper.
Engr. Manny Macario, former 1980’s Original Marcos Loyalist and President, Many Family Lives Under Growth (MFLUG), said that Speaker Romualdez should not step down.
Emmanuel C. Virtucio, former Barangay Chairman in Davao City and Former Chairman of Office of Transport Cooperative (OTC-DOTR), flew straight from Davao City and arrived in Manila at 4am today.
Virtucio said that they were complying with the “marching order’ of the President Duterte, however, the present dispensation has another kind of “marching order”.
He added that when in comes to the “national level”, they are “weak” in terms of budget.
Virtucio noted that all the budget of government agencies were channeled to all kinds of “ayuda” without reciprocity on the part of the beneficiaries such that they have just become “lazy” and unproductive Filipinos.
Samuel B. Ramos, Regional Chairman of Manila Taxi and Regional Association (MANTRA) & National Director of National Public Transport Coalition (NPTC), said that the public transport modernization does not benefit the transport industry.
“Speaker Martin Romualdez resign now,” Ramos said.
He stressed that in the transport sector, they would take first the mass protest and caravan and the entire coalition will take protest action.
Ramos noted that in their utilization of the electric vehicle they are only using PHP100, saying that the control on such electric vehicles is in the hands of Speaker Romualdez.
He cited the suspension of the rehabilitation, the funds of which should be utilized to a more beneficial program, adding that the NCAP (No Contact Apprehension Policy) should reconsidered.
“Hindi po kami titigil hangga’t hindi bumababa si Speaker Romualdez,” Ramos said.
Ferdinand Reyes, Duterteam/OFW Veteran, lambasted the PHP150 million bribe for each Congressman in order to sign in favor of the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Reyes wondered how Speaker Romualdez does not even know about the bribery of PHP150 million for each Congressman for the impeachment of Vice President Duterte.
“Martin Romualdez resign now na!” he said.
Reyes cited the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran where he noted that there seems to be no action or measures being undertaken to take care of the OFWs in the Middle East.
“Ang aming panawagan ay para sa tao at bayan. Sana step down na kayo. Sana isipin nyo ang kapakanan ng taumbayan,” he said.
Reyes stressed that Davao City Rep. Pulong Duterte is qualified to be the next House Speaker, considering his exemplary performance as Member of the House of Representatives.
He also scored the increase in water rate from PHP150 to PHP180 without the benefit of a public consultation.
“Buong mamamayan ng Pilipinas ay naghihirap na dahil sa incompetence ng mga pulitikong namumuno. Tama na po ang pamumulitika,” Reyes said.
He expressed the hope that the war between Israel and Iran would not reach the Philippines in the sense that nothing seems to be undertaken to lessen the impact of such a conflict, especially with the OFWs.
Diego Magpantay, National President of Citizens Crime Watch (CCW), said “This is the most corrupt Congress. It’s now time to turn over the House Speakership to another Member of the House.”
Magpantay said that they wrote the DSWD in 2024 such that Congressmen should not meddle with the distribution of “ayuda”, but several video footage clippings showed that Congressmen were leading in the distribution of “ayuda”.
He added that they wrote and requested DSWD Sec. Rex Gatchalian to provide them with the list of beneficiaries of AKAP and other “ayuda”, but they were denied.
Magpantay stressed that Congressmen were with Speaker Romualdez in the distribution of “ayuda”.
Atty. Melchor Magdamo, Lawyer of United Peoples Initiative (UPI), said that the decision of the 319 Members of House of Representatives are the ones responsible for the deliberations of the national budget and not only by one person.
Magdamo urged Speaker Romualdez to step aside and turn over the Speakership to a more credible House Speaker.
“Romualdez is one of the worst House Speakers in the country’s history,” he said. ###
