In this file photo taken on July 23, 2019, Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (left) and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco seal the term-sharing arrangement suggested by President Rodrigo Duterte for the speakership. (INQUIRER/JOAN BONDOC)
MANILA, Philippines — It’s him, not me.
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday said it’s Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco who has commitment problems, even renewing his promise to follow their term-sharing agreement.
The House leader made this pronouncement as the word war continues in the lower chamber amid committee leaderships overhauls and rumored ouster plots.
“I remain committed to whatever the President says. From the start, anyone who talks to me. Ang may problema sa commitment is Velasco, not me (The one with problems with commitment is Velasco, not me). I always keep my commitment,” Cayetano said in a press briefing in Quezon City.
In July 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte brokered a gentleman’s deal to break the impasse at the lower chamber on the speakership race. Under the agreement, Cayetano would serve as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the first 15 months of the 18th Congress while Velasco will succeed him to serve for the remaining 21 months.
But recalling the meetings prior to the final term-sharing deal, Cayetano said there was actually no such agreement.
“The last time na (that) we were in one room, the second to the last time I was in one room with Cong. Velasco and Majority Leader Martin [Romualdez] was there. We all agreed wala nang term sharing (there’d be no more term-sharing),” Cayetano said.
“Hindi natapos ang araw bumaliktad si Velasco e. Pero nung siya nandun, payag siya, no more term sharing. Before the end of the day, ayaw na niya. Then kaharap si Presidente pumayag siya 15-21 and then ngayon nagku-kudeta,” the House Speaker added.
(The day has not ended and Velasco changed his mind. But when he was there, he was okay with not having term-sharing anymore. Before the end of the day, he no longer likes that agreement. Then in front of the President, he agreed with the 15-21 agreement and then now there is a coup plot.)
Cayetano reiterated that he would honor the term-sharing agreement.
“Sa akin walang question, may pangalan akong kailangang protektahan (For me, there is no question, I have a name to protect). I don’t want to be a liar to all of you,” Cayetano said.
Cayetano also denied alleged talks that his camp will declare all leadership posts in the House vacant so he could stay on as Speaker.
Cayetano called such allegation a “completely crazy proposition.”
“’Yung sinasabi nilang magpapa-declare kami ng all seats vacant para hindi na ako aails, that’s a completely crazy proposition (They’ve been saying we will declare all seats vacant so I can stay in my position is a completely crazy proposition),” he said.
“If I move to declare all seats vacant today and then refill ulit lahat ng chairman (refill again all committee chairmen), that does not preclude doing in July, August, September, October, November. Walang sense ‘yun (It does not make sense),” he added.
Velasco earlier denied the alleged plan to oust Cayetano, saying the reports are “baseless”.
“The reports were meant to create deep division within the House of Representatives and its members, destroy camaraderie, distract lawmakers from fulfilling their mandate, and more importantly, derail the key legislative agenda of the Duterte Administration,” Velasco said.
Like Cayetano, Velasco said he is honoring the term-sharing deal.
“Up to this day, I continue to honor the term-sharing agreement brokered by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte when the 18th Congress convened in July 2019. From the beginning, I never had any intention of reneging on this agreement. Tayo po ay lalaking may isang salita (I’m a man of my word),” the Marinduque lawmaker said.