NUP, Nacionalista Party back Cayetano, says solon

MANILA, Philippines — Two of the largest political parties in the House of Representatives have thrown their support to Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, amid an alleged plot to oust him from his post, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga said Tuesday.

Barzaga, who serves as the president of NUP, said they expressed their support during a meeting with Cayetano during the party assembly Monday night.

“Tinanong kami ni Speaker what is our position and of course we answered politely and truthfully that the NUP is behind him, sinusuportahan siya,” Barzaga said.

“Yung Nacionalista Party naman speaking through Deputy Speaker Abu, suportado rin si Speaker,” he added.

Currently, NUP has 48 members in the lower chamber while Nacionalista Party has 41.

Aside from the two parties, Barzaga said that Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) party also backed Cayetano.

Cayetano earlier accused Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco is plotting his ouster by promising chairmanship and budget allocation to members of the lower chamber.

Velasco has denied the allegation, saying the claims were “baseless.”

President Rodrigo Duterte brokered the term-sharing agreement between the two legislators, with Cayetano serving as Speaker in the first 15 months of the 18th Congress, while Velasco will serve the remaining 21 months.

If this is to be followed, Cayetano’s term will end in October this year.

Velasco’s party, the ruling PDP-Laban — also the party of Duterte — also denied the alleged ouster plot, saying that the party is in “full support” of the programs of the current House leadership.

PDP-Laban has 62 members in the lower chamber.

EDV