By Junex Doronio
MANILA — All roads lead to Leyte, so it seems with the exodus of former DDS (Diehard Duterte Supporters) to the ruling party in order to be formally “baptized” as MRS (Martin Romualdez Supporters).
Among the ex-DDS who have crossed the Rubicon, so to speak, were prominent Davaoeño officials like Davao Oriental Second District Representative Cheeno Miguel Almario, Davao Oriental Vice Governor Nelson Dayanghirang Jr. and provincial board members Andy Monday, Benjie Bulaong, Rochie Ravelo, Daud Linsag, and Harold Montes.
Taking their oath of office as Lakas-CMD members on Friday, November 24, they were joined by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Lakas-CMD secretary-general, Agusan del Norte Representative Jose “Joboy” Aquino II, and House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe.
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez (called MR by his supporters) who represents the 1st District of Leyte is the president of the ruling Lakas-CMD and a first-degree cousin of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.
Other defectors to Romualdez’s political party were formerly members of the Nacionalista Party (NP) of former Senate President Manny Villar who financially supported FPRRD in the 2016 presidential race were Dayanghirang, Monday, and Bulaong, while Ravelo, Linsag, and Montes were members of Vice President Sara Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago Party (HPP).
It was learned that the Almarios and Vice Governor Dayanghirang, whose father Nelson Sr. was a former governor and now Davao Oriental’s 1st District representative, supported the tandem of Marcos Jr. and Sara in the 2022 national elections.
Almario and Nelson Sr. were among the congressmen who closed ranks to support the House leadership amid the verbal tirades from the feisty FPRRD.
“I wish to express my unwavering support for our esteemed Speaker, Martin Romualdez, and the leadership of the House. Under Speaker Romualdez’s guidance, the House has consistently demonstrated its commitment to good governance, transparency, and the welfare of the Filipino people. Being a part of this great institution gives me great pride and joy,” Almario declared.
Some political pundits told Maharlika NuMedia that the exodus of the officials from Davao Oriental only means that the Dutertes are losing their grip on their mass base and could no longer claim to wield the so-called Solid South.
They added that if the International Criminal Court (ICC) is allowed entry to the Philippines to investigate the “bloody drug war” of the previous administration that human rights groups claimed to have killed an estimated 30,000 people, then it will be another headache for the Dutertes.
Two House committees have started tackling proposals for government cooperation with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) inquiry into the anti-drug campaign during the Duterte presidency, a move that did not sit well with Sara.
In a July 17, 2023 Vera Files report, it said that “A person knowledgeable of the ICC probe said she (VP Sara Duterte) could be issued a ‘summons’ by the ICC. If she would not comply with the summons, she would be issued a warrant of arrest.”
(ai/mnm)