Cayetano meets with Davao City Representative Duterte amid budget, speakership issues

TWO RANKING congressmen, considered as main figures of two separate camps, met over the weekend after the House of Representatives was hounded last week by a speakership row that was triggered by an alleged unfair distribution of funds among congressional districts under the proposed 2021 budget of the Public works department. House Speaker Alan Peter S. Cayetano met with House Deputy Speaker and presidential son Paolo Z. Duterte in Davao City, where the latter is a representative for the 1st District. Photos of the visit were posted by ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Eric G. Yap, an ally of both Mr. Duterte and Mr. Cayetano, on Instagram with a caption ‘Chillax night.’ Mr. Go, as of this writing, has yet to respond to a request for details of the meeting. Other lawmakers who joined them were Taguig City-Pateros 2nd District Rep. Lani L. Cayetano, wife of the speaker, and House Deputy SecretaryGeneral Brian Yamsuan. Mr. Duterte is seen as a main backer in the speakership race. Under a term-sharing agreement brokered by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in 2019, Mr. Cayetano will hold the House top post for half the three-year term up to October this year, then Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Q. Velasco will take over until the end of the 18th Congress in 2022. Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo A. Teves, Jr., a known ally of Mr. Velasco, questioned in a recent budget hearing the P8 billion and P11.8 billion worth of infrastructure funds allocated to Taguig City and Camarines Sur, respectively.