Cayetano, Velasco to attend Palace meeting today
A highly placed source at the House of Representatives has confirmed reports that Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque lone district Rep. Lord Allan Velasco will meet with President Duterte in Malacañang today, in what could be the most pivotal congregation yet on the future of the speakership.
"Baka may resolution na kung ano talaga ang mangyayari (There might be a resolution as to what will really happen to the speakership)," the source, who requested anonymity, told the Manila Bulletin.
This will be the first time in months that Velasco, the supposed speaker-in-waiting, will have an audience with President Duterte.
Taguig-Pateros Rep. Cayetano was able to talk to the Chief Executive in the Palace last week, although the meeting mainly had to do with
the government's anti-corruption and red tape measures. Also in attendance were Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez.
Also invited to the high-stakes meeting on Tuesday, according to the source, are party leaders from the House of Representatives.
Term sharing deal
Nacionalista Party (NP) member Cayetano and Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) stalwart Velasco have a term-sharing deal for the Speakership in the 18th Congress.
Under the "gentleman's agreement," Cayetano will serve as Speaker for the first 15 months, while Velasco will finish the final 21 months at the helm of the 299-member chamber. President Duterte himself pitched this scheme last year to prevent the splintering of the administration coalition.
If this will push through, Velasco is seen as taking over the Speakership from Cayetano in November.
The meeting will allow Velasco, Duterte's own party-mate, to present his case for the observance of the agreed-upon term split.
202 House members sign manifesto
This will be vital especially since 202 House members, including senior PDP-Laban officials, have signified in a Sunday manifesto their desire to have Cayetano remain as Speaker for the rest of the 18th Congress.
"I really believe Speaker (Cayetano) has the numbers and his camp seems very confident," said the source.
Meanwhile, 16 members of the House Minority bloc, led by House Minority Leader Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. signed a manifesto supporting Cayetano’s leadership, which they said, gave “sufficient democratic space” to the House opposition.
“We believe that the House of Representatives would be best served with the current leadership at the helm — especially now that we are in the middle of budget deliberations that are crucial to the recovery of our nation from the COVID-19 pandemic,” they said in a three-page manifesto dated Sept. 25.
They noted that under Cayetano’s leadership, the House opposition’s disparate opinions are met with open discussion rather than close-minded dismissal.
"Under his stewardship, the members of the Minority have been given free rein to exercise our right to speak for the voiceless, to stand up for the disenfranchised, and to champion the marginalized. All these would not have been possible without the sufficient democratic space that has been generously provided by the Speaker. It is in this democratic space that the Minority of the 18th Congress has flourished; and it is in this democratic space where we have been free to speak our minds and our hearts,” they said.
Apart from Abante, other signatories of the manifesto include Senior Deputy Minority Leader Janette Garin, Deputy Minority Leader Jose Christopher “Kit” Belmonte, Deputy Minority Leader Sharee Ann Tee Tan, Deputy Minority Leader Jose “Bonito” Singson Jr., Assistant Deputy Minority Leader Stella Luz Quimbo, Assistant Deputy Minority Leader Argel Joseph Cabatba, and Assistant Deputy Minority Leader Gabriel Bordado.
Cavite 3rd District Rep. Alex “AA” Advincula, A TEACHER Partylist Rep. Ma. Victoria Umali, RECOBODA Partylist Rep. Godofredo Guya, KALINGA Partylist Rep. Irene Saulog, Agusan Del Norte 1st District Rep. Lawrence “Law” Fortun, BHW Partylist Rep. Angelica Natasha Co, APEC Partylist Rep. Sergio Dagooc, and Zamboanga Del Norte 3rd District Rep. Isagani Amatong also joined them in signing the manifesto.
"And while we operate in a space that is distinctly ours, we recognize that under the leadership of Speaker Cayetano we are united with the Majority through our shared aspirations to serve the Filipino people, to fight for the oppressed, and to bring progress to the nation,” the lawmakers said.
Abante’s group noted that it recognized that "the choice of House leadership rightfully belongs to our esteemed colleagues in the Majority, and as tradition dictates, it is the Majority that chooses the Speaker of the House.”
In their manifesto, the minority said "it may be advisable to help the captain who has navigated us safely through this squall, rather than be sidetracked by a debate over whose hands should be on the rudder.”
Several House leaders had manifested their support for Cayetano, while others urged Cayetano to honor his term-sharing deal with Marinduque lone District Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco.
Under the term-sharing deal, endorsed by President Duterte, Cayetano will serve as Speaker for the first 15 months of the 18th Congress or until October, and will step down by the end of this period to allow Velasco to take over during the last 21 months. (with a report from Charissa LuciAtienza)