Let Velasco steer ship – Palace

CHIEF Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo told members of the House of Representatives to give newly elected Speaker Lord Allan Velasco a chance to run the chamber.

He made the appeal after criticizing former speaker Alan Peter Cayetano for his “wrong logic” on the changing of committee chairmen.

Following his election last week, Velasco revamped the committee leaderships and key House positions, replacing Cayetano’s appointees with his own allies.

Among those ousted in the shuffle was former Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte, a staunch ally of Cayetano, and former Committee on Accounts chairman Abraham Tolentino.

Cayetano himself was replaced as legislative caretaker of Camarines Sur.

“Sinasabini Alan Peter, sabi ni Pres id en tewa lang disruption .‘ P ag‘ ya ne hp in ali tan mo ‘yungmga committee chairman, deputy speakers, ohdimay disruption diy an ,‘ di mo sin us u nod siPresidente ( Alan Peter was quoting the President as saying there should be no distruption [in the House]. That if the committee chairmen, deputy speakers are replaced, that means there is disruption),” Panelo said.

“Mawalang galang na sa’yo, Alan Peter, mukhang malinanamanang logic mo d’ un. Pa non am an ma gk aka ron ng disruption kungpapalitan mo‘yung committee chairman, magkakaronng disruption kungwalakang committee chairman, walakang committee ( I beg your pardon, Alan Peter, but your logic is incorrect. How can there be a disruption if the committee chairmen are replaced. There will be disruption if there are no committee chairmen, no committees),” he said during his talk show Counterpoint.

Panelo said the lawmakers must learn to face the political consequences of their actions.

“Kun gay aw kay o tang gal in, ma bu ti, kung ta tang gal inn am an kayo una wa inn in yo nag any an talaga (If you are not replaced, well and good. If you are going to be replaced, you should accept it),” he said.

“Hay a ann iy on a it on gsi(l et) Speaker Lord steer the ship of Congress,” Panelo said.

Cayetano has demonstrated his leadership and the chamber must now give Velasco a chance to prove that he can also lead, he added.