The National Unity Party has expelled Deputy Speaker and Cebu Rep. Vincent Franco Frasco for going against the political party’s official position to support Speaker Martin Romualdez’s continuity of leadership in the 20th Congress.
NUP president and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte confirmed this Saturday following Frasco’s open admission that he did not sign the manifesto of support by the supermajority coalition for Romualdez.
“The party leadership has decided to expel Duke (Frasco) from the NUP because his unilateral decision not to support Rep. Martin’s continued stay as Speaker in the next Congress is a blatant breach of the NUP’s official position of unequivocal support for the Speaker to keep his premier post in the next Congress,” Villafuerte said.
“Given that this has been the unanimous stance of our party, Duke’s one-man decision to withdraw support from the Speaker runs counter to the NUP’s official manifestation of support for Congressman Martin—and means his status as a member of our party has become untenable.”
“He should have first discussed his contrary position with our party leadership, rather than go out in public and breach our unanimous party decision,’ Villafuerte added.
He said Frasco’s decision to go to the media to publicly oppose the party position, “especially without prior consultation with any of our party officers, is punishable with expulsion from the NUP.”
Nearly a month ago, the NUP declared its support for Romualdez’s leadership for the 20th Congress to keep on course the “Bagong Pilipinas” vision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“The NUP supports 100 percent the continuity of the Bagong Pilipinas agenda of President Marcos of better lives for all Filipinos in the second half of his presidency,” said Villafuerte.
“For the House to help stay the course of this pro-poor and pro-growth vision in the Congress, it is crucial for Speaker Martin to remain at the helm of the bigger chamber to continue shepherding the passage of the priority bills of this administration meant to spell high, inclusive and sustainable growth.”
The House’s spokesperson, lawyer Princess Abante, said the leadership of the Lower Chamber respects the independence of each member.
“In the Lower Chamber, the principle is clear: support is not forced. It is a voluntary decision of each representative—and that is respected by our leadership,” Abante said.
She said a total of 285 incoming representatives, including four of the six Liberal Party (LP) members, in the 20th Congress have committed their support for the continuity of Romualdez’s leadership at the House of Representatives.
“Instead of responding to the political noise, our leader, Speaker Romualdez, will choose to stand in the silence of true service…It doesn’t matter who signs or who does not sign. What is more important is the overwhelming clamor to continue serving the public,” Abante said.
