MANILA — Political maneuvering for the coming elections is putting pressure on the UniTeam coalition, analysts said Wednesday after the House of Representatives moved to replace two deputy speakers.

Among those removed was Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is considered Vice President Sara Duterte's political mentor.

The current house speaker, Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, is President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s cousin.

• House removes Duterte ally Arroyo as deputy speaker

ROAD TO 2028

Speaking on TeleRadyo Serbisyo on Wednesday, political analyst Ronald Llamas said the rift was not surprising since both Speaker Romualdez and Vice President Duterte are seen to be considering higher office.

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"Eh, malinaw naman na ito ay maneuverings para sa 2028, hindi lang para sa midterm," he said, recounting clashes between House leaders and the Dutertes over issues like confidential funds for civilian government agencies like the Department of Education headed by Duterte.

"Pero siyempre, bago ka umabot ng 2028, mangyayari muna yung 2025. Bago mangyari ang battle royale sa 2028, ay haharap sila sa initial na bakbakan sa 2025," Llamas, a former political adviser to then-President Benigno Aquino III said.

He added that Arroyo's replacement as deputy speaker was meant to send the message that "you cannot be disloyal to the House, you cannot be disloyal to the Speaker."

Arroyo, in statements on Tuesday and Wednesday, reiterated her support for Romualdez and said she has never supported or participated in any attempts to unseat him as speaker.

• Arroyo assures admin of support after removal as deputy speaker

LINES DRAWN?

De La Salle University political science professor Anthony Lawrence Borja said the incident "tied with growing contradictions on specific policy issues can be construed as drawing the battle lines for the 2025 and 2028 elections."

He added the shake-up at the House "is no longer a flex but a probable part of a larger strategy to consolidate the power of one faction at the expense of another."

The UniTeam coalition, which swept the national elections in 2022, is a coalition of the country's major parties and political families.

Borja added that, with former President Rodrigo Duterte's apparent positioning as the political opposition, "what we need to keep an eye on would be the role and reactions of the Liberal and leftist oppositions."

Llamas said the rift in the ruling coalition may be difficult to fix.

"Yung guhitan sa buhangin ay hindi na guhit lang, parang bangin na e."

(The line in the sand is no longer a line, it is more like a chasm.)

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro, who criticized the allocation of confidential funds to DepEd and other agencies, said cracks in the administration coalition began when Vice President Duterte left Romualdez's Lakas-CMD party in May.

The resignation was in response to Arroyo's demotion to deputy speaker from senior deputy speaker following rumors that she was plotting to steal the speakership.

"Tingin ko ay titindi pa ang hatian ng mga position dito sa Kongreso between ng Vice President at ng Speaker," Castro told an interview.

Former President Duterte's remarks against Castro were among the issues alluded to in House Resolution No. 1414 upholding the chamber's integrity and dignity.

• House of Representatives upholds 'integrity, honor' after attacks from Duterte

Duterte remains the most popular national official despite taking a hit over the issue of confidential funds, while Romualdez has enjoyed a recent survey bump after the House took away Duterte's offices' confidential funds.

• House axes Arroyo, Ungab as deputy speakers

Romualdez insisted there was nothing personal in the decision to divert those funds to agencies safeguarding the West Philippine Sea from China.

CHANGES WILL NOT AFFECT HOUSE

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda meanwhile said the decision to remove the deputy speakership title of Arroyo won't affect the House.

• House of Representatives upholds 'integrity, honor' after attacks from Duterte

Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez, PDP Laban president, said that the House had to adopt HR 1414 "because there are tirades coming from the outside of which nobody wanted to mention." He added there was nothing wrong with the House doing so.

Alvarez also didn't make much of Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales' resignation from PDP Laban.

"The going away or becoming a member of a party is not new to us or to you," he said, adding politicians will go where the power and resources are.

— with a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News