The National Unity Party has expelled Deputy Speaker and Cebu 5th District Representative Vincent Franco "Duke” Frasco for refusing to support Martin Romualdez's continued stay as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

In a statement on Saturday, NUP president and Camarines Sur 2nd District Representative LRay Villafuerte said Frasco's "unilateral decision" was a "blatant breach of the NUP’s official position of unequivocal support for the Speaker to keep his premier post in the next Congress."

Villafuerte said Frasco, husband of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, should have first discussed his contrary position with the NUP leadership, "rather than go out in public and breach our unanimous party decision.”

“Given that this has been the unanimous stance of our party, Duke’s one-man decision to withdraw support from the Speaker runs counter to the NUP’s official manifestation of support for Congressman Martin—and means his status as a member of our party has become untenable,” Villafuerte said.

Frasco has yet to comment on the NUP's decision.

In a separate statement, House spokesperson Princess Abante said lawmakers from across the country—including those from Central Visayas—recently reaffirmed their support for Romualdez’s continued leadership.

As of Saturday, Abante said, 285 members of the incoming 20th Congress had expressed their support for the Leyte lawmaker.

Abante also said the House remains focused on passing laws that will make food more affordable, healthcare more accessible, jobs more available, and support more sustainable for workers, farmers, and small businesses.

—VBL, GMA Integrated News

Source: GMA Network.