‘Bitter Talaga Sila’: House leader advises Cayetano, allies not to ride on BTS popularity

MANILA, Philippines — Senior Deputy Speaker Salvador “Doy” Leachon has an advice to ousted Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and his allies: Do not ride on the popularity of the South Korean boy group BTS.

Leachon made the remark following the formation of a new bloc in the House of Representatives — called the “BTS sa Kongreso” — which is composed of Cayetano and his allies who were stripped of their leadership posts after Speaker Lord Allan Velasco took the reign of the lower chamber.

“I wish them good luck, and a piece of advice — don’t ride on BTS popularity because it might connote a different meaning fitting of what they attempt to do — Bitter Talaga Sila,” Leachon, an ally of Velasco, said in a text message.

According to Leachon, the launching of the new House bloc is “insignificant” and will not derail Velasco’s legislative agenda.

“The current leadership under Speaker Velasco has earned the respect of the members of the supermajority  because they lucidly see a decent man, not vindictive, working leader who has also a gentle heart to feel the needs of the house members. Hindi barkadahan lang,” Leachon said.

Nonetheless, Leachon took a jab at Cayetano and his allies, saying “these people are ungrateful.”

“The speaker didn’t even touch their bloated budget in the GAA [General Appropriations Act] 2021 which former speaker Cayetano initially inserted and crafted,” Leachon said.

“Moreover, Speaker Velasco, despite their demeaning personality attacks on him, didn’t even raise a finger for 15 months and just waited for right time to assume as the head of Congress based on the term-sharing agreement. Yun ang tularan nila — maginoo,” he added.

[Translation: That’s who they should follow — a gentleman.]

During the speakership row, Cayetano and his allies accused Velasco of being lazy and inactive in Congress.

“Compare the bills passed for the first three months of the two leadership, Speaker Velasco has more even with a break of more than a month. The pandemic economic responsive national budget was passed on time. Sinong tamad?” Leachon said.

[Translation: “Who’s lazy?”]

Nonetheless, Leachon said Congress should “move on.”

“No one is indispensable in our positions. Let’s embrace one common goal of achieving a united Congress because this is the high time we are very much needed by the Filipino people to at least make a difference in their lives in this pandemic challenging period in our nation’s history,” Leachon said.

The “BTS sa Kongreso” bloc did not sit well with the fans of the South Korean boy band who accused Cayetano of using it for clout.

But Cayetano has said it was not meant to offend BTS fans, explaining that the bloc’s name only meant “Back to Service Congress,” especially now that the House is more focused on political issues.

“Medyo napunta sa politika. Napunta sa kaunting katamaran. Napunta sa panay political issues. Naging trapo na ulit. Rather than House of the People, naging House of the Politics,” he told reporters in an interview.

[Translation: “It somewhat turned into politics. It turned into a bit of laziness, It turned into a lot of political issues. It again became traditional politics. Rather than the House of the People, it became the House of Politics.”]

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