With House sound system dead, Arroyo takes oath as new Speaker
By: Maila Ager, Pathricia Ann V. Roxas - @inquirerdotnet
INQUIRER.net / 03:59 PM July 23, 2018
Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo arrives at the session hall of the House of Representatives before the opening of the third regular session of Congress on Monday.
PHOTO BY EARVIN PERIAS
In a surprise move on Monday, former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo took her oath as new Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Minutes before President Rodrigo Duterte’s state of the nation address, Arroyo was seen taking over the rostrum.
She was later seen taking her oath before a lawmaker.
The microphone at the podium was notably turned off as Arroyo was taking her oath. She was also seen saying something to legislators before the oath-taking.
While Arroyo was at the podium, ousted Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez was seen welcoming Duterte at the House.
Duterte was scheduled to deliver his state of the nation address at 4 p.m.
Before this, talk of Arroyo taking over the Speakership from Alvarez broke out just before the opening of the session at 10 a.m.
But the House adjourned the session without the expected change in leadership.
But Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. was supposed to raise his objection to the adjournment of the session earlier when the audio of the livestream was turned off.
House plenary was temporary off-limits to media.
“The session was adjourned despite objections raised loudly on the floor, objecting the motion to adjourn. While the motion to adjourn is not debatable, there was an objection. In that case, the motion should be put to a vote,” Andaya earlier said.
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