Velasco offers choice of 2 posts to Cayetano
Seeking “unity and harmony” and consolidation of his newfound power in the House of Representatives, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco tried to make up with Taguig-pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, the former Speaker, and offered him a post as deputy speaker or a committee chairmanship of his choice.
“He’s the former Speaker and I truly believe that he deserves the position,” Velasco told reporters after he completed on Friday his first task of having the government’s P4.5-trillion spending program approved after a bitter contest with Cayetano for the speakership. “He can choose a committee chairmanship or a deputy speaker position.”
“As of now, we won’t make any movements, because we want to have unity and harmony [among] the members. So during the recess, we will check the committee memberships,” the 42-year-old Marinduque lawmaker said.
So far, the new Speaker has only had five allies placed in key positions since his rump election on Oct. 12 was officially ratified by the House the following day.
Key positions
The first of these was Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, President Duterte’s son and brother of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, who rallied support for Velasco last weekend. Representative Duterte was named chair of the House accounts committee, replacing Cavite Rep. Abraham Tolentino.
Another Velasco ally, Ilocos Sur Rep. Kristine Singson-meehan, was elected vice chair of the accounts committee. Both
Duterte and Meehan are on their first terms as congressional representatives.
Three veteran lawmakers, who also supported Velasco, were among the first to get key House positions after they were removed by Cayetano because of the speakership dispute.
Oriental Mindoro Rep. Salvador Leachon, on his third term as congressman, was elected senior deputy speaker while Quezon Rep. Angelina Helen Tan regained her post as health committee chair, a post she lost the week before due to the power struggle in the House.
1-Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero was also restored to his post as deputy speaker and replaced
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, a staunch ally of Cayetano.
‘We should be united’
Velasco, who was elected by 186 congressmen, said dozens of congressmen expressed their intent to join the House majority after his election.
“I told them, we cannot have a divided Congress. In the time of COVID-19, we should be united so that the passage of bills will be faster. I think the majority is now around 286 or 289,” he said.
Earlier, minority bloc members Probinsyano Ako Rep. Bonito Sinson, an uncle of Meehan, Marikina City Rep. Bayani Fernando and Abang Lingkod Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano are now considered members of the majority after they voted for Velasco as speaker.
A key official who expressed his intent to join the majority in a speech on the House floor was House Minority Leader and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante.
This leaves the minority bloc without a leader following the passage of the 2021 budget bill.