MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez expressed his intention to resign Wednesday, Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno said in a radio interview, confirming reports of a looming leadership change at the House of Representatives.
“Yesterday, our Speaker Martin Romualdez called us over and he informed us that he plans to resign from his post today,” Puno said in an interview with DZMM on Wednesday.
“He recommended to the party leaders that, if they could, vote Deputy Speaker Bojie Dy,” Puno said, referring to Rep. Faustino Dy III of Isabela’s sixth district.
Puno said that Romualdez’s resignation from the speakership has been discussed in the past weeks. Romualdez was named by a former assistant district engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways as one of personalities who got “commissions” from flood control projects.
The Speaker has denied the allegations.
Deputy Speaker Jefferson Khonghun confirmed Puno’s statements, saying that Romualdez had been thinking of resigning to spare the House from controversies.
“He had long wanted to step down because he saw that the House was being hit with all these controversies,” Khonghun said.
