Romualdez resigns, Dy takes over as Speaker

HIGHLIGHTS OF SPEAKER FAUSTINO 'BOJIE' DY'S SPEECH:

- ELLSON QUISMORIO and HANNAH TORREGOZA

Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez resigned during plenary session Wednesday, Sept. 17 as House Speaker--a position he held for just 52 days in the current 20th Congress.

Succeeding Romualdez was Isabela 6th district Rep. Faustino "Bojie" Dy, who was the lone candidate for Speaker nominated after the former's resignation was made official.

A total of 253 congressmen voted for Dy out of the 314 House members, 23 abstained, while four did not enter a vote.

The presiding officer, Deputy Speaker Ilocos Sur 2nd district Rep.

Kristine Singson-Meehan, declared Dy as duly-elected House Speaker after the votes were tallied.

Most of the 28 solons who abstained are expected to re-form the minority bloc under 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino "Nonoy" Libanan.

Dy vowed that he will "not defend the guilty, and will not shield the corrupt" in a speech after his election as Speaker.

He begged for the people to give the House the chance to correct the mistakes, cleanse its ranks, and regain the people's trust in the midst of growing anger over anomalous infrastructure projects, particularly flood control.

Dy admitted to having fears while thinking about the responsibility being reposed upon him as House leader but said that he knew he could count on his colleagues under a "New Congress' to deliver sincere and genuine public service.

Dy also said that no rank, no ally, no office will be spared from accountability and reinforced that the House's duty is not to protect each other but to protect the Filipino people.

He also promised to make the Lower House transparent and accountable, particularly in reviewing and passing the national budget.

Despite having no real challengers to his seat, Romualdez reached the decision to step down largely because of the flood control projects corruption scandal, which has affected the House a great deal.