Cayetano insists ouster plot ‘verified’ despite Velasco’s denial
Credit to Author: Divina Nova Joy Dela Cruz| Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2020 07:30:58 +0000
DESPITE a denial from Marinduque Rep. Lord Alan Velasco, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano claimed he has verified information on a move to oust him from his post.
“Up to this day, I continue to honor the term-sharing agreement brokered by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte when the 18th Congress convened in July 2019. From the beginning, I never had any intention of reneging on this agreement. Tayo po ay lalaking may isang salita (We are a man of our word),” Velasco said in a statement earlier on Thursday.
Under the term-sharing, Cayetano will hold the speakership post for 15 months or from July last year to October this year. Velasco will get the remaining 21 months until the end of the 18th Congress.
Cayetano, however, revealed that 20 Congressmen have shared information that funding and committee chairmanship posts have been offered to some lawmakers.
“Normal naman kapag nahuhuli, nagde-deny. But unless 20 congressmen are lying to me, that pinapangakuan ng chairmanship at sinasabi na ‘next year it’s my budget, ako na magdidikta kung kanino ibibigay,’ etc. And I don’t think naman mang-iintriga ang 20 congressmen (It is normal to deny when you are caught. But unless 20 congressmen are lying to me, that they have been promised chairmanship and saying ‘next year it’s my budget, I will dictate whom to give it to,’ etc. And I don’t think these 20 congressmen would draw intrigue),” Cayetano told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Taguig City on Thursday.
“Nangangako ng pondo at chairmanships at ‘yung iba, s’ya (Velasco) mismo kausap (Funding and chairmanships have been promised and he, himself, talked to some of them),” Cayetano added.
Cayetano said that the issue on the ABS-CBN franchise and budget were being used to remove him from the post. However, with Velasco’s assurance of honoring the term-sharing deal, the Speaker encouraged lawmakers to stop dividing the House of Representatives and work with the leadership in pushing for its legislative agenda.