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*House Speaker Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo- From Speaker Arroyo to prime minister?

– Senators warn

PASAY CITY, Philippines – Senators expressed disappointment over the nomination and election of former president now House Speaker

Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo in a Lower House drama that ousted Pantaleon Alvarez. Senator Grace Poe, meanwhile, expressed dismay over

Arroyo taking over as House Speaker saying there could be someone better than her to lead the Lower House. In 2004, Arroyo defeated

Senator Poe’s father, late actor Fernando Poe Jr. in a fraud-tainted presidential election. The lady Senator also ran in 2016 but lost to

President Rodrigo Duterte.Prior to Arroyo’s election as House Speaker, Senate President Tito Sotto on Monday said the Senate is ready to

work with their counterparts in the Lower House “regardless who he or she is the (Speaker).”

*Arroyo finally meets Alvarez after House leadership row– House Speaker Gloria Arroyo has finally met with Representative
Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday (July 25), their first since the Lower House leadership drama that delayed President Rodrigo Duterte’s State

of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.Arroyo appealed for respect when asked about what transpired in her discussion with Al varez but

said they both promised to continue their good working relationship.

*Arroyo was elected as the new House Speaker Monday evening, hours after Duterte delivered his third State of the Nation Address with Alvarez
seated behind him.Some 244 members of the House of Representatives resumed session around 7:30 p.m. to formalize the removal of Alvarez and
the election of Arroyo as House Speaker.Arroyo secured the speakership with 184 affirmative votes, while 12 lawmakers opted to abstain. She was
the sole nominee for the position.Alvarez's removal came after he quarreled with his erstwhile political patron, Davao del Norte 2nd District
Representative Antonio Floirendo Jr., one of the biggest donors in Duterte's 2016 presidential campaign. Alvarez also had a public spat with
President Rodrigo Duterte's daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Duterte-Carpio had slammed Alvarez for allegedly calling her a part of the opposition when she formed a separate regional political party. Alvarez
denied this, saying the mayor's new party was a "non-issue." A source told ABS-CBN News that it was the President’s daughter who worked for
Alvarez’s ouster. The President’s involvement in the supposed plot, however, remains unclear.Roque said the Palace is ready to work with Arroyo,
whose rise to the speakership has been met with criticism by Senators Grace Poe and Panfilo Lacson.“She (Arroyo) was one of the staunchest
supporters of the president during the elections. They share the same political agenda so we foresee absolutely no problems in working with Speaker
Arroyo,” Roque said.
Philippine rebel chief: 30,000 rebels to be disarmed in deal-

The leader of the largest Muslim rebel group in the Philippines said Tuesday that 30,000 to 40,000 armed fighters would be

"decommissioned" if an autonomy deal that is expected to be signed into law by the president this week is fully enforced.Al H aj

Murad Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, said six of the largest guerrilla camps in the south were already

being converted into "productive civilian communities" to help the insurgents return to normal life.Clad in a business suit, Murad

appealed to the international community to contribute to a trust fund to be used to finance the insurgents' transition from

decades of waging one of Asia's longest rebellions.

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