LEYTE Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez will file Tuesday his certificate of candidacy for senator in a bid to bring more compassion in public service, including extending genuine benefits for persons with disabilities.
Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association, will be running under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats which he heads as president, but he is also being eyed as guest candidate by the camps of Sen. Grace Poe and Vice President
Jejomar Binay as well as Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
House Deputy Speaker and Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao, president of the Nationalist People’s Coalition which is perceived to carry the Poe and Sen. Chiz Escudero tandem, said
Romualdez will definitely be a senatorial candidate of their party.
Well-placed sources also said Romualdez will be endorsed by the National Unity Party, Partido ng Masang Pilipino of former President-turned Manila City Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada, and Partido Demokratio Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.
The United Nationalist Alliance of Binay has been drafted Romualdez as one of their senatorial candidates.
In the case of Duterte, former North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol, an ally of the mayor, disclosed that Romualdez is included in Duterte’s “Dream Team” of senatorial candidates.
At the same time, AKO BICOL party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe, a lawyer and spokesman of the 40-man Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc., said the group is receptive to the senatorial bid of Romualdez after their meeting last Friday.
Romualdez has been recognized for his work in pushing for the rehabilitation and rebuilding of Yolanda-hit areas despite the snail-paced action and assistance of the government.
Romualdez is also the author of a legislative measure exempting PWDs from the payment of 12-percent value added tax on certain goods and services.
He is the principal author of House Bill No. 1039 which “seeks to amend Section 32 of Republic Act No. 7277, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability,” as amended by Republic Act No. 9442.
Romualdez strongly appealed to the House and Senate leaders to immediately convene the bicameral conference committee to approve the measure.