House leadership impasse delays Duterte’s SONA for over an hour

July 23, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte's State of the Nation Address was delayed on Monday for over an hour due to the impasse on the House leadership.

Duterte was supposed to deliver his third SONA at 4 pm, but he only entered the Plenary Hall of the House of Representatives at about 5:15 pm apparently after a resolution was reached on the House leadership.

Prior to the actual SONA, former President and Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo went to the podium of the Plenary Hall and took her oath as the new Speaker of the House, replacing Pantaleon Alvarez.

During that time, Alvarez, along with Senate President Vicente Sotto III, was welcoming Duterte who just arrived at the Batasan Complex.

Arroyo's swearing-in was made with the microphone off and without no official Mace of the House, making her oath of office unofficial, according to some analysts.

Later, Arroyo was escorted from the podium apparently going to the holding room where Duterte was as well as Alvarez and Sotto.

After over an hour, it was Alvarez, along with Sotto, who went to the podium before Duterte went out of the holding room and proceeded to the jampacked Plenary Hall for his SONA.

At the opening of his speech, Duterte recognized Alvarez as the "Speaker." Celerina Monte/DMS