Romualdez insists: UniTeam remains intact

HOUSE Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez insisted on Monday that the UniTeam Alliance may have differences, but its members always work together.

Pressed on the perceived rift within the political alliance during a media interview, Speaker Romualdez (president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats) said: «It's still a UniTeam; we always work together.»

«The President always wants us to work together not just in Congress, with the executive but as a country, so we will always strive for that,» he added.

«There will always be differences, but we will always work toward resolving those differences for the service of the Filipino people. That's our primordial concern that we will band together and unite as one for the service of the Filipino,» he added.

Aside from Lakas-CMD, the members of the alliance include the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Hugpong ng Pagbabago and Partido ng Masang Pilipino.

Last November 7, the House of Representatives replaced Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as one of the chamber's deputy speakers.

House Majority Leader Manuel Jose «Mannix» Dalipe said the House relieved Arroyo, chairman emeritus of Lakas-CMD, and Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab of the deputy speaker post after the two did not sign a House resolution «sponsored by the entire leadership.»

Dalipe said the leadership believed it was «in the best interest of the House to have leaders who fully support and uphold the collective decisions and directions set forth by the leadership.»

Before the two were removed as deputy speakers, the House had adopted a resolution to «uphold the integrity and honor» of the chamber.

The resolution came after former president Rodrigo Duterte reportedly said «the House was rotten.»

Speaker praises VP Sara

In the same interview on Monday, Romualdez hailed Vice President Sara Duterte's decision to no longer pursue the confidential funds for 2024.

«I believe that's the right decision, and we hail VP Sara's decision,» he said.

Vice President Duterte had said she would not pursue the confidential funds anymore because «this issue was divisive.»

Earlier, the House realigned P1.23 billion meant for 2024 confidential funds of several