MANILA, Philippines — Marinduque Lone District Rep. Lord Allan Velasco should “face the reality” that House members want Alan Peter Cayetano as their Speaker despite his offer to resign, House Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte said on Sunday. The lawmaker also slammed Velasco for his “suddenly incessant rant” about the term sharing agreement between him and Cayetano. Under the term-sharing agreement brokered by President Rodrigo Duterte, Cayetano would sit as House Speaker for the first 15 months of the 18th Congress, while Velasco would succeed him in the remaining 21 months. In a meeting between Duterte, Velasco, and Cayetano in Malacañang, it was decided that Velasco will take the speakership on Oct. 14. Villafuerte added that Velasco and his allies also refused to take part in the nominal voting.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer October 04, 2020 09:00 UTC