Antipolo City 1st District Representative Ronaldo Puno revealed that members of the National Unity Party (NUP) are weighing a possible move to the minority bloc due to dissatisfaction with the leadership of House Speaker Faustino Dy III.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, March 16, Puno said the party will deliberate on the matter during the upcoming six-week Lenten break.
“Itong recess, magmi-meeting meeting, pag-uusapan namin kasi, alam mo, sana, he is our leader, he should lead. Di ba? But hindi yata nakakausap yung mga miyembro ng Kongreso eh para alamin yung mga problema na inaabot namin lagi,” Puno said.
He added: “Parang humihiwalay sila sa sitwasyon ng mga congressmen ngayon. Sana hindi ganyan…Speaker namin siya di ba?”
Puno emphasized that the NUP has consistently supported the House leadership in recent months.
“Naririnig niyo naman di ba? In the past few months wala kayong narinig sa amin kung di puro suporta sa kanila. Di na nila kailangan kami kausapin dalawang beses. Pag may hinilimg silang tulong sa aming partido, tumutulong kami,” he noted.
However, he said the party will reassess its position during the recess: “Pero dito sa recess na mangyayari, magmi-meeting meeting kami ulot. Titingnan namin kung dapat pa ba kami maiwan sa majority or lumipat na lang kami sa minority.”
The NUP is currently the second-largest political party in the House, next to Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) led by former Speaker Martin Romualdez.