FACT CHECK: Romualdez not replaced by ex-president Duterte as House speaker

Claim: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed former president Rodrigo Duterte as the new House Speaker, replacing Martin Romualdez.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in the thumbnail of a YouTube video that has 9,414 views, 124 likes, and 42 comments as of writing. 

Text on the thumbnail reads: “FPRRD bagong Speaker!” (Former president Rodrigo R. Duterte is the new Speaker!)

The bottom line: Romualdez is still the House Speaker of the 19th Congress, as seen on the official website of the House of Representatives. Duterte cannot be appointed to the position because he is not an elected member of Congress.

According to Article VI, Section 16 of the 1987 Constitution, the House of Representatives elects its Speaker from among its members, which Duterte is not.

Based on this provision, the president of the Philippines also has no authority to replace or appoint the House speaker.

No evidence: The video does not provide evidence to support its claim, instead talking about the former president’s call for an independent Mindanao and the rift between cousins Romualdez and Senator Imee Marcos related to the House’s push for charter change through people’s initiative, which senators have slammed as a “brazen attempt to violate the Constitution, our country, and our people.”

In January, Rappler debunked a similar claim that Duterte was appointed House Speaker by Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte. Other claims surrounding Romualdez’s ouster as Speaker have also been reported by VERA Files. – Katarina Ruflo/Rappler.com

Katarina Ruflo is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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