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 file photo / JOAN BONDOC
MANILA, Philippines — House lawmakers will tackle the speakership row heating up in the lower chamber only after the 2021 national budget has been approved on final reading, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said Sunday.
“The budget before politics. Let us pass the national budget as requested by the President for 2021 on third and final reading on Friday, October 16,” Romualdez said in an updated statement.
Romualdez retracted an earlier statement that said the “gentlemen’s agreement” between House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Lord Allan Velasco will be honored after the lower chamber approves the budget bill.
“Politics such as the Speakership issue will be tackled after the passage of the national budget to assure a smooth transition,” the majority leader added.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier called for a special session of Congress from October 13 to 16 to allow the House of Representatives, which abruptly suspended session on October 6, to approve on final reading the General Appropriations Bill (GAB), which contains the country’s proposed national budget for next year.
“I spoke to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea…he reconfirmed that President Duterte’s call for a special session under Proclamation No. 1027 is for Congress to resume the congressional deliberations on the proposed national budget,” Romualdez said.
“The President also certified it as an urgent measure,” he added.
Duterte called for a special session of Congress after he threatened to step in and resolve the ruckus at the lower chamber as the speakership squabble between Cayetano and Velasco has threatened the timely passage of the 2021 national budget.
Cayetano and his allies on October 6 suddenly moved to terminate sessions at the House until November 16 after approving on second reading the proposed spending measure for next year.
This unraveled ahead of the anticipated speakership showdown between Cayetano and Velasco on October 14.