(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte’s meeting with newly-elected Speaker Lord Velasco and his predecessor Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano in Malacañang pushed through on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
This was even after the apparent resolution of the row over the Speakership just hours before, with the official election of Velasco as the House leader, and with Cayetano stepping down.
According to Senator Bong Go, who was present in the meeting, the President reminded the two House lawmakers to unite and pass the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget, which had almost been held hostage with the internal squabbling in the House.
Cayetano, who was supposed to cede the Speakership to Velasco under a gentleman’s agreement brokered by the President in July, had suspended House sessions early until November 16 in what some said was his attempt at retaining the Speakership.
Under the gentleman’s pact, Cayetano would serve as Speaker for the first 15 months, or until October, while Velasco would take over for the remaining 21 months.
When House sessions were suspended, the proposed national budget which was supposed to be used against COVID-19 had only been passed on second reading in the House.
“All is well. Parang tatay si Tatay Digong kinausap mga anak nya. Pinagpayuhan na magkaisa, one majority, and pass the budget para sa sambayanang Pilipino,” Go said.
According to pictures shared by the senator, also attending the meeting was Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
The meeting was held minutes before a special session of Congress for the passage of the proposed national budget.
The President himself had called for the special session amid the House row, which he later said he was fed up of in a public message.
