(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has made a choice for the next House Speaker, endorsing Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano under a term-sharing arrangement with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco “to end the impasse” in the Lower House.
In a talk with reporters in Malacanang on Monday night, July 8, Duterte said he had tried to distance himself from the issue, but was forced to make a choice after he observed the “uncertainties” in the House of Representatives.
He said that Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez would be the Majority Leader.
“I’m sorry, I’m quite late. I was talking to three people. I think it’s about time I talk. So, your Speaker will be Alan Peter Cayetano. Ang sharing dito is he shares the term with Lord Velasco. And si Romualdez will be the Majority Floor Leader,” Duterte said
“I tried to distance myself from the… But apparently I said it’s time that I talk. So, ganun ho ang ano — that’s the set-up,” he said.
Asked why Hugpong ng Pagbabago’s nominee for House Speaker was not mentioned, Duterte, in an ambush interview, said he did not talk to Rep. Isidro Ungab.
Cayetano, he said, was the first to approach him for the Speakership post, as he bared his intention to run for House Speaker if he wins as the representative of Taguig-Pateros. This happened during the campaign period, he said.
“Siya nga ang unang lumapit sa akin. (He was the first to approach me.) So i promised him,” Duterte said of Cayetano. After Cayetano, Velasco approached him. Then after the elections, it was Romualdez who sought his support.
“So term-sharing na lang,” he said.
He decided to talk to “end the impasse,” the President said.
-Cayetano thanks Duterte-
After Duterte announced his choice, Cayetano came up with a Facebook video, thanking Duterte for his decision.
“We prayed to the Lord to give the president good health and wisdom…we thank him for the announcement that he has made,” he said.
A statement released by Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that Cayetano will be the speaker for the first 15 months, then Velasco will lead the Lower House for the next 21 months.
Panelo said that the President decided to choose from among his allies as the race for the Speakership was breaking up his political allies.
“Since the election of the Speaker has resulted in a bitter and fractious rivalry that threatens the break-up of political allies, the President, to save the unity of the alliance and avert its fragmentation, obliged to the request of the three candidates, who to their credit agree to respect the choice of PRRD,” Panelo said.
Duterte himself explained his decision “to talk.”
“It’s time for me to talk. I do not have to elaborate. Pumunta sila dito, ipinatawag ko. Stop, I will now talk. I do not enjoy it. I avoided it. Nakita mo naman, it’s creating so much uncertainty. I’ll now talk. So, pinuwesto ko na,” he said.
I’m not interfering in the work of the legislation. Leaders lang itong ginagawa natin… You are not interfering because you are choosing only the leader,” he explained.
