In this file photo taken on July 23, 2019, Representatives Alan Peter Cayetano (left) and Lord Allan Velasco seal the term-sharing arrangement suggested by President Rodrigo Duterte for the Speakership. (INQUIRER/JOAN BONDOC)
MANILA, Philippines — While saying that he does not need to talk to Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco amid the leadership issues now gripping the lower chamber, House Speaker Alan Cayetano has a message to the former: “Trabaho lang tayo, huwag tayong magsiraan.”
Cayetano made the remark amid an alleged plot to oust him as Speaker, saying that Velasco is promising chairmanship and budget allocation to members of the lower chamber.
Velasco has earlier denied the allegation, saying the claims were “baseless.”
“Huwag tayong mag-intrigahan at huwag kang matatakot na hindi ka magiging Speaker kasi kung ‘yan talaga ang gusto ng Presidente, he is the head of our coalition, mangyayari yan, yun lang yun,” Cayetano said in an interview Monday night.
To recall, in July 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte said Cayetano would serve as House Speaker in the first 15 months of the 18th Congress while Velasco will succeed him to serve the remaining 21 months under a term-sharing agreement.
If this is to be followed, Cayetano’s term will end in October this year.
“There’s no doubt that, from the start I’ve been consistent, kung ano ang desisyon ng Pangulo, as far as the leadership alone ah kasi ano siya coalition head,” Cayetano said.
Retain committee chairmanships
Cayetano asked Velasco why despite his pronouncements of honoring the term-sharing agreement, the Marinduque lawmaker could not assure that there will be no changes in committee chairmanships once he takes over.
“Nong nagsimula kami, nag-usap kami, para hindi na ma-disrupt tayong dalawa na lang magpalitan and kung gusto niyo palitan si Chairman Bambol [Tolentino], pero in the meantime, they’ve been promising chairmanships, so bakit ngayon hindi niya ma-commit?” Cayetano said.
The Speaker added that it is Velasco’s camp that is threatening the “coalition” in the House.
“So kung mamumulitika ako dapat hinati ko na lang yung Congress, 50 percent plus one then tinodo ko yung resources sa kanila para may – ako, hindi, we opened it up to everyone, let’s say coalition. Sila nagti-threaten ng coalition by what they’re doing,” Cayetano said.
“So yun ang challenge ko naman sa kanya, go on record na pagpalit tayong dalawa lang magpapalit, all the other chairmen will stay. Problema, he’ll lose some of his support,” Cayetano added.
Both Cayetano and Velasco have previously said that they would honor the said term-sharing agreement.
Velasco’s party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), also denied the said ouster plot.
Newly-appointed PDP-Laban spokesman Deputy Speaker Johnny Pimentel belied the allegations and said that the party is in “full support” of the programs of the current House leadership.