MANILA — Sen. Francis Escudero and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez retained their respective leadership posts in the 20th Congress, consolidating their grip on the legislature despite lingering dissent and controversy surrounding their roles in recent political flashpoints.
Escudero was re-elected Senate President with 19 votes, defeating former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto, who garnered five votes.
His re-election comes on the heels of criticism over the Senate’s handling of the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Last month, Escudero presided over a brief Senate impeachment court session that was swiftly adjourned, returning the case to the House and raising questions over the move’s constitutionality.
Eventually, the Supreme Court ruled the complaint unconstitutional, citing the one-year ban on multiple impeachment bids against the same official.
Meanwhile, Romualdez kept his seat as Speaker of the House of Representatives without opposition. However, his reappointment was not without resistance. Lawmakers who abstained from voting included party-list representatives Leila de Lima and Chel Diokno, Davao City’s Paolo Duterte, and Cebu’s Duke Frasco.
Romualdez is expected to steer the lower chamber through President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s priority legislative measures as the administration enters its second half./PN
