With 186 affirmative votes, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco was declared on Monday afternoon as the new Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The election was held at the Celebrity Sports Club. Alan Peter Cayetano described it as a “fake session” which immoralizes the legislature. He added that the budget should be prioritized over the speakership issue.
“Ang Celebrity Sports Club ay hindi naman Kongreso (The Celebrity Sports Club is not Congress). It creates a very, very disturbing precedent. They can declare the world ending today, but their session is nothing more than a social club na nag-violate din ng IATF (that violated IATF rules),” Cayetano claimed.
“Sila nga ang rule makers, pero sila rin ang rule breakers (They are the rule makers, but also the rule breakers). They can do that tomorrow after the budget. Why do they have to do it now? Anong gulo ang gusto nila (What kind of conflict do they want?)” Cayetano continued.
Cayetano said the voting for Velasco cannot be recognized and is a violation of the Constitution.
“For them to say that’s an official session, I don’t think it ever happened in the world. It would be part of Guinness World Records ng pinaka pambababoy sa isang legislature (for disrespecting the legislature),” Cayetano stated.
“205 ‘yung nakapirma sa akin. Kung 186 sila, ang problema ko may flying voters na dalawa ang binoto. Kapag dalawa binoto, under the rules tanggal ang boto nila. (205 signed for me. If there were 186, the problem is there were flying voters. If they voted twice, their vote will have to be removed under the rules),” he added.
Meanwhile, he assured that the budget deliberations will push through on Tuesday, October 13. – Report from Daniel Manalastas, with reports from Louisa Erispe
