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Velasco claims Cayetano eyeing presidency

Lord Allan Velasco
Lord Allan Velasco

SPEAKER Alan Peter Cayetano is harboring an ambition to be the next President in 2022.

This is the reason seen by Speaker-in-waiting Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco why Cayetano is clinging to the position of House Speaker.

In a television interview, Velasco slammed Cayetano’s “politicking” amidst the pandemic brought about by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“Pandemic ngayon, we are looking at the survival of our country. Inuuna muna niya ang kanyang political survival before the survival of our country,” Velasco aid.

“He is fighting for personal interest and ambition. Akalain mo ba naman, guluhin niya iyong buong budget process. Why? Out of fear. Speaker Cayetano is doing everything to be able to achieve his personal ambition and interest na maging president sa 2022,” he added.

Earlier, Cayetano moved to pass on second reading the proposed 2021 national budget without deliberating on the proposed budgets of major government agencies.

Cayetano also suspended the session until November 17, which many members saw as inappropriate because it would affect the passage of the budget and was done to avoid the supposedly turn-over on October 14.

Meanwhile, Velasco disclosed that President Rodrigo Duterte, who brokered the 15-21 term-sharing agreememt between him and Cayetano, was visibly enraged when they met privately on October 5.

“Kitang-kita ko ‘yung galit ng Pangulo. Sabi sa akin ni Pangulo, ‘Lord, hindi lang ikaw ang napahiya rito, tayong dalawa.’ Actually, the President used the word nadenggoy, sabi nya ‘Lord, nadenggoy tayong dalawa,” Velasco said.

Velasco said he understood Duterte’s frustration because during their Sept. 29 meeting in Malacañang together with Cayetano and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, the President asked Cayetano to resign on Oct. 14 and the latter agreed.

“Sabi niya kay Speaker Cayetano, ‘Alan, okey na. Oct. 14, you will resign. You will announce that on Oct. 14 you are resigning because you abide by the gentleman’s agreement.’ After that, nag-shake sila ng hands,” he said.

Velasco, meanwhile, reiterated his appeal to Cayetano to reopen the session and resume the budget deliberations so the House can adhere to Duterte’s request to pass the budget on time and do it legally and constitutionally.

“The President’s message last night was loud and clear. Kitang-kita natin na he just wants the budget to be passed on time; not just on time ang gusto ng Pangulo, it has to be constitutional, it has to be legal,” Velasco said.

The lawmaker disclosed that a resolution seeking the resumption of the plenary session is now going around among House members.

“There is a resolution going around among us congressmen that we resume session already because the only way we (can) pass the budget on time is if we resume the session,” Velasco pointed out.