Ousted Cayetano resigns as House Speaker

METRO MANILA – Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano resigned Tuesday as House Speaker after the members of Congress formally ratified Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco as their new leader at the Batasang Pambansa.

Cayetano said in a Facebook live that he is tendering his irrevocable resignation as the speaker of the House of the Republic of the Philippines and that there will be no political maneuvers or tactics.

He further claimed that his resignation was due to the President’s warning to set aside politics in the house and focus on passing the 2021 national budget on a timely manner.

President Duterte facilitated a term sharing deal between Cayetano and Velasco in 2019, The tension escalated in the recent weeks after Cayetano, who supposedly stepping down this October, stayed in power and suspending the plenary sessions until November – increasing the chance that the national budget might be delayed.

On Monday, Velasco took matters into his own hands and staged a session outside the House of the representative together with 186 lawmakers who declared that the house speakership post is vacant and elected Velasco.

Cayetano claimed that he decided to give way to Velasco to ensure that the 2021 national budget have been taken care of. He also apologized to President Duterte for an misunderstanding on the issues of the budget.

The former house speaker said that he made a mistake and it was not his intention to disobey the president’s order.

Cayetano initially offered to resign on the date that was agreed upon during the meeting with the President with some viewing Cayetano’s move as him taking hostage the deliberation on Budget. He further added that the 15-21 term sharing deal meant that he will take to the President after 15 months to determine the next plan of action.

Related Article: https://www.theasianaffairs.com/philippines/2020/10/12/velascos-allies-moves-to-oust-cayetano-as-house-speaker/