Bacolod: Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez of this city has chosen not to ally himself with either the majority or minority, but reaffirmed his support for the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Benitez, former mayor of this highly urbanized city and also previously Third District congressman of neighboring Negros Occidental, was among the 34 legislators who abstained from voting for the House of Representatives Speaker.

According to Philippines News Agency, Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez was reelected House leader during the inaugural session of the 20th Congress on Monday. 'I will serve as an independent member of the House -- fully supportive of the President and committed to encouraging broader support for his leadership. Our country needs a government that works -- decisively, efficiently and with the people's interest front and center. This administration must succeed,' the lawmaker said in a statement.

A total of 269 lawmakers, including seven from Negros Occidental, voted for Romualdez. They were Benitez's son, Javier Miguel Benitez, of the Third District; Julio Ledesma, First District; Alfredo Mara±on III, Second District; Jeffrey Ferrer, Fourth District; Emilio Bernardino Yulo III, Fifth District; Mercedes Alvarez, Sixth District; and Manuel Frederick Ko, Abang Lingkod partylist.