Atienza reminds Cayetano to honor term-sharing deal

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano should honor his term-sharing deal with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and yield the speakership to the latter with no conditions, Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza urged Wednesday.

Atienza said Cayetano assumed the speakership based on an agreement, which was brokered by President Rodrigo Duterte himself.

“Cayetano did not carry the majority numbers at that time and Cong. Velasco did not ask for that to be a condition before he agreed to the agreement,” Atienza said in a statement.

“Now that his term is about to end and Cong. Velasco is about to begin his, why are the Speaker’s supporters questioning if Cong. Velasco has the numbers. It is totally unfair to make it a condition now,” he added.”

Atienza urged the President to intervene in the speakership row. However, Malacañang earlier said President Duterte is leaving it up to House members to discuss its leadership issues.

“Mr. President, please do not allow the breaking of this gentleman’s agreement to share terms. Otherwise, Congress is doomed to fail if palabra de honor (word of honor) and delicadeza (sense of propriety) are not followed,” Atienza added.

Under the term-sharing deal, Cayetano would serve as Speaker in the first 15 months of the 18th Congress while Velasco would succeed in the speakership for the remaining 21 months.

If this is to be followed, Cayetano’s term would end next month. [ac]