The abrupt suspension of the session in the House of Representatives today, October 6, railroads the chance of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco to challenge the leadership of Speaker Allan Peter Cayetano in the chamber.
In their term-sharing agreement, Velasco is supposed to take over as Speaker on October 14. However, this move by Cayetano leaves him no chance to declare as vacant the top post in the chamber on that date.
Session was suspended today after Cayetano cut short deliberations of the 2021 General Appropriations Act, which was subsequently approved on second reading by the plenary.
In a statement, Velasco said that Cayetano’s move to “maneuver” the House Rules and calendar shows that he is avoiding the Speakership turnover on Oct. 14.
“Maneuvering of the House Rules and Calendar which is obviously an aftermath of Speaker Cayetano’s failure to secure full support of President Duterte during our recent meeting and evade the October 14, 2020 peaceful transition of House Speakership to this representation based on the term-sharing agreement,” he said in a statement.
Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza believes that Cayetano is on “panic mode” over losing his post to Velasco very soon.
“Obviously, he is on a panic mode. He does not want to reach Oct. 14, because he knows he will be removed by the body. Marami ng congressman ngayon ang sawa na sa antics niya. Nakakahiya na, nahihiya na kami sa nangyayari sa Kongreso (Many congressmen are already fed up with his antics. It’s already embarrassing, we feel ashamed of what’s happening in the Congress) ,” Atienza said in an interview.
“Ayan ang hirap, Cayetano is only for himself, with himself, by himself. Wala siyang sinusunod na payo, kahit ang Presidente ayaw niyang sundin (He does not follow any advice, even from the President),” he said. “He is all about the Speakership…He doesn’t care about the budget.”
