By JOHN CARLO M. CAHINHINAN

BACOLOD CITY – It seems that former President and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo doesn’t want to endorse any successor to lead the House of Representatives.

In an ambush interview in Bacolod City on Sunday, Arroyo said she doesn’t want to be part of any talks on who would be the next House Speaker since she would no longer be party of the 18th Congress this July.

“I don’t want to comment. I am not going to be in the next Congress,” said Arroyo.

“I don’t want to comment on the next Congress because I am not going to be a part of it,” she said.

Arroyo is on her third and final term as representative of the 2nd District of Pampanga.

Last week, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) chairperson and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte openly endorsed both former Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin and incumbent Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco as possible successor of Arroyo during separate events in Tacloban City and Tagbilaran City.

During HNP’s Tagbilaran caravan, the presidential daughter admitted that Velasco has an edge over potential rivals since he belongs to the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban) party.

Velasco, son of retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, regularly serves as volunteer stage emcee in most of the sorties being attended by HNP senatorial candidates.