Paolo Duterte on speakership bid: Not the right time

“We both agreed that this will not be the right time for me to be Speaker and I can still help his administration from the House in a different capacity,” he said. (File Photo by Romy Bugante via Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

Presidential son and Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte has changed his mind again on vying for the highest position at the House of Representative, this time, he said he will no longer join the race for House Speaker in the 18th Congress.

Duterte said he arrived at this decision after he talked with his father, President Rodrigo Duterte, in person on Thursday night in Davao City.

“We both agreed that this will not be the right time for me to be Speaker and I can still help his administration from the House in a different capacity,” he said.

As president of Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, the lawmaker said he would instead support the speakership bid of Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro Ungab who was endorsed by the regional party led by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP).

[READ: Sara-led HNP endorses Isidro Ungab for House Speaker]

“The President has also been fully informed of Rep. Ungab’s participation in the race for the next Speaker of the House of Representatives,” the congressman said.

The Chief Executive’s eldest son on Tuesday announced he was considering running for House Speaker, saying he “might be able to unite” the “divided” lower chamber.

On Friday, Paolo, alongside eight other lawmakers from his party and HNP, formed the Duterte Coalition in the House in a bid to “unite” the latter.

[READ: Paolo Duterte, several lawmakers create new coalition in lower chamber]

“We have created the Duterte Coalition and we wish to invite everyone to join this group of lawmakers who believe in positive change,” it said,” the group said.

The nine-member coalition also told some Cabinet members, whom it did not name, to not meddle in the House speakership race and “draw the line” between executive and legislative branches of the government.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, however, had denied this, saying, “The President has already made a stand on the Speaker row, hence, it behooves the members of the Cabinet to toe the line and that is the position of the President.”

The older Duterte has kept his hands off the heated speakership race, letting the lawmakers choose their new leader on July 22.