As the House of Representatives face budget rows and leadership issues, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano traveled all the way to Davao City to have a chat and a meal with presidential son Paolo Duterte, who is also a Deputy Speaker in the lower chamber.
House appropriations committee chairman Eric Yap shared photos of the trip featuring Duterte, Cayetano, his other wife Lani who is also a representative of Taguig City, and House Secretary General Brian Yamsuan.
They were seen smiling after what seemed like a meeting over dinner Saturday night.
No further details was shared aside from the short caption.
Last week, Duterte’s text message to Yap made the rounds and stirred speculations of a brewing House coup against Cayetano. In said message, Rep. Duterte warned that he will declare the speakership and deputy speakership posts vacant following the concerns of some colleagues over “inequitable” budget allocations in their districts.
Despite this, no coup took place that week. The days followed with a “supermajority” of allies and regional blocs suddenly expressing support for Cayetano, and backing his continued speakership, despite his term-sharing deal with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco.
The House of Representatives is set to conduct plenary debates on the ₱4.5-trillion budget for 2021, after the appropriations committee approved it on Friday.
