The suspension of the 2021 budget deliberation at the House of Representatives after Alan Peter Cayetano’s resignation scenario did not sit well with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco.
“Instead of focusing on the work at hand, further political maneuverings and theatrics took the budget deliberations hostage,” Velasco claimed.
PBA Party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles said the privilege speech of Cayetano which could have been conducted through Facebook was a waste of time. The process that took place on Wednesday was “absurd” and not specified in the rules.
Cayetano ally and Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor countered that the term-sharing is not also within their rules.
In case of a new leadership, Camarines Sur Second District Rep. LRay Villafuerte pointed out that Wednesday event “sends a loud and clear message that most of our peers want a status quo on the activist House leadership that has nurtured a principled partnership with the Duterte administration.”
He also assured that the 2021 proposed budget will be passed on or before October 15 despite the suspension on the deliberation.
Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque confirmed that Speaker Cayetano has joined a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday night for the pray-over organized by Deputy Speaker Bro. Eddie Villanueva.
“Ulitin ko po ang paninindigan ng Presidente, ‘yung pagpili po ng liderato ng Kamara ay isang internal matter para sa Kamara de Representante (I will reiterate the stand of the President. The leadership in the Lower House is an internal matter for the House of Representatives),” Roque stated.
“Nirerespeto naman po ng Presidente ang naging desisyon ng Kamara na ibinasura po ang pagre-resign ni Speaker Alan Cayetano (The President respects the decision of the Lower House to dismiss the resignation of Speaker Alan Cayetano),” Roque added. – Report from Daniel Manalastas
