Velasco says ‘gentleman’s agreement’ on House speakership still on

The gentleman’s agreement is still on, as far as “Speaker-in-waiting” Congressman Lord Allan Velasco of Marinduque is concerned.

“Ang sakin ang alam ko tuloy parin (As for me, what I know is it’s still on). An agreement is an agreement, a gentleman’s agreement,” Velasco told House reporters in a chance interview Monday morning.

“Based on the gentleman’s agreement, I will see you next year as the next Speaker of the House,” he confidently said.

A few hours earlier, current House Speaker Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano told CNN Philippines’s The Source that he would prefer to be the Speaker for the entirety of the 18th Congress.

Cayetano and Velasco have agreed to a “15-21” term-sharing deal wherein the former would step down after 15 months so that the latter may assume the chamber’s top post for the final 21 months of the 18th Congress.

Velasco is supposed to take over the speakership in November, 2020 under this set-up, which had the blessing of President Duterte. Both Velasco and Cayetano are administration allies.

“Right now, we’re just focused on working, especially me as being the Energy [Committee] chairman again, focusing on passing laws [that] I believe [will lower electricity rates and help our countrymen],” the Marinduque solon said.

He said that his speakership will be made official by another round of voting once Cayetano’s term is done.

“Of course, we cannot go through the ano...unless we go through voting dito sa House.”

Not a hypocrite

Cayetano, in a chance interview inside the Speaker’s office Monday afternoon, said Velasco can “rest assured” that the term-sharing pact is intact.

“The head of the coalition makes the decision,” he said, referring to Duterte.

“Ako naman walang naririnig na nagbabago yung usapan and I guess kung may pagbabago man, kami ni Congressman Velasco ang unang mag-uusap, hindi yung iba. So happy birthday sa kanya at ipanatag din niya yung loob niya (As for me, I’m not hearing anything about the plan changing and I guess if there are changes, it will be me and Congressman Velasco who will first talk about it, not other people. So happy birthday to him and he can rest assured),” Cayetano said.

Cayetano also advised Velasco to take this time to prepare himself for the “daunting task” in the House of Representatives, particularly the speakership.