The Philippine Online Chronicles

Former mayor and long-time lawmaker Feliciano 'Sonny' Belmonte Jr. of the 4^th district of Quezon City was elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives in a special session this morning at the Batasan Complex.

A total of 261 House members attended the session in preparation for the first State of the Nation Address of President Benigno Aquino III at 4 pm later this afternoon.

Nominated alongside Belmonte was another veteran lawmaker, former Deputy Majority Floor leader Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay) from the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, the party of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Lagman got 29 votes against Belmonte’s 227 votes.

Belmonte, also a former House Speaker in 2001, was a Lakas-Kampi stalwart before he moved to Aquino’s Liberal Party months before the May 10 elections.

Belmonte presided over the oath taking of the new House Members.

Meanwhile, Rep. Raul Daza, Rep. Lorenzo Tanada III, Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla, Rep. Maria Isabel Climaco and Rep. Pablo Garcia and Rep. Arnulfo Fuentebella were unanimously elected as deputy speakers of the House.

The Senate and Lower House will convene in an congressional joint assembly for Aquino’s first SONA.