Duterte order to Cayetano ‘clear’: Reopen Congress to members – Velasco

Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco. Photo from the Office of Cong. Velasco

MANILA, Philippines — Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco has backed President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for Congress to convene in a special session next week and tackle the proposed P4.5 trillion national budget for 2021.

According to Velasco, the President’s directive to Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano is “clear” that he should reopen Congress to its members.

“I fully support President Duterte’s call to resume plenary discussions in Congress from October 13 to October 16 to take up the proposed national expenditure plan for 2021 and to ensure its passage without delay in accordance with the Constitution and existing laws,” Velasco said in a statement Friday.

“This is what majority of us in the House of Representatives have been telling Speaker Cayetano and his small group of loyalists since the unceremonious termination of the budget plenary debates and the highly questionable and unconstitutional suspension of session,” he added.

Velasco also said the House plenary hall should be prepared in compliance with health protocols in order to enable more legislators to attend the session in person.

“President Duterte’s marching orders to Speaker Cayetano is clear: reopen Congress to its members. This also means securing a safe and secure plenary hall in accordance with the health protocols set out by the IATF and the Department of Health,” he said.

“The attendance of all lawmakers will enable them to meaningfully participate in the entire budget process and preparation, just like what the President wants, and not just to a small committee of hand-picked friends,” he added.

Velasco made the remark after presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced Friday that Duterte called Congress to a special session on October 13 to 16 “to avoid any further delays” on the prompt passage of the proposed spending measure for nest year.

Cayetano has likewise supported Duterte’s call for a special session of Congress.

“We trust his wisdom on how to address issues concerning the budget, and thank him for his continued confidence by allowing Congress to pass the General Appropriations Bill free from the specter of politicking and intrigues that we had originally sought to avoid,” Cayetano said.

The General Appropriations Bill (GAB), which contains the planned national expenditure for 2021, was supposed to be approved by the House on the third and final reading on October 16.

However, on October 6, Cayetano moved for the termination of the period of deliberation on the spending bill even if the proposed budget of several other government agencies are yet scrutinized. Cayetano and his allies suspended House sessions until November 16, after abruptly approving the GAB on second reading that Tuesday.

Right before Cayetano moved to terminate the period of debates and amendments on the 2021 spending measure, he denied holding the budget hostage as claimed by Velasco – with whom he has a speakership term-sharing agreement.

But these developments at the lower legislative body irked the President, who consequently warned on Thursday night that the House of Representatives should immediately resolve the budget impasse or he will take matters into his own hands.

“Gusto ko lang sabihin in one straight statement: Either you resolve the issue sa impasse ninyo diyan and pass the budget legally and constitutionally, kapag hindi ninyo ginawa, ako ang gagawa para sa inyo,” Duterte said.

“Hindi ako nananakot. Wala akong ambisyong manakot. Wala din akong ambisyong magtagal sa pwestong pu**** ****g ito na puro problema. Wala akong hangarin,” he added.

Senators have also slammed Cayetano’s move to prematurely put the House on recess, saying this may lead to a reenacted budget for 2021.

KGA