Will Brian Poe Support Romualdez for House Speakership?

Neophyte solon FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-list Rep. Brian Poe has confirmed signing the manifesto of support for the continued House Speakership of Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez in the 20th Congress.

At the same time, Rep. Poe also said that he has joined the Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc. (PCFI), a faction of party-list lawmakers in the House of Representative.

''Yes, I've joined the party-list coalition po,'' he told House reporters in a chance interview Thursday, July 3.

Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr., a returning member of the House, said earlier this week that 57 to 58 out of the 63 party-list solons have signified their back of Romualdez, who served as House Speaker during the previous 19th Congress.

Asked if he has signed the manifesto of support, Rep. Poe said: ''I believe the letter of support wasn't just for Martin Romualdez, for Speaker. It was also a support for the vision that the President has for the country.''

''I was very happy to see that it wasn't just a call for supporting the Speaker. But it was a call for unity and for continued growth within the country. I was happy to support that,'' he added.

Romualdez, the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) president, is on his third and final term as congressman. Of the total 317 House members in the 20th Congress, 287 have expressed their backing of Leyte solon, whether in writing or verbally, report said.

Rep. Poe is the son of former senator Grace Poe.