The 48-strong lawmakers from the Visayas in Congress remains fully committed behind the leadership of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Cebu Rep. Vincent Franco Frasco declared on Sunday.
Cayetano last week himself disclosed that there was an attempt to oust him from his position. He implied it was Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, his original rival for the speakership, who was behind the plot.
Frasco, chairman of the House committee on Visayas development, said lawmakers continue to support Cayetano, including his position on the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.
“I can speak as chairman of the Visayas development committee that my fellow Visayas representatives stand solidly behind Speaker Alan in observing the protocol and courtesy due to our fellow representatives in the committee on franchises before whom the ABS-CBN franchise matter has been presented,” he said.
“The Visayas congressmen and women strongly believe that under Speaker Alan, the House has been transformed into a more responsive and more responsible legislative chamber. We will continue to heed the Speaker’s guidance as we believe that his fair and uncompromising stand on issues, such as the ABS-CBN franchise renewal, is the appropriate way of handling such concerns,” Frasco added.
Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, for his part, denied there were efforts from PDP-Laban to unseat Cayetano.
“As far as PDP-Laban is concerned, being their spokesperson, I can categorically say there is no such coup d’etat. I think it is baseless and unfounded,” he said in a radio interview Sunday.
“We do not have any knowledge of this supposed ouster plan or coup d’etat and we will not participate if ever there is a plan,” he added.
Cayetano, in a separate statement, said he will not resort to transactional politics just to keep the speakership.
“I believe in what I believe. I will not be transactional. I will not sacrifice my principles and this administration’s priorities. I believe most members of Congress see and appreciate the reforms I stand for. If they do, then I will continue to serve as their Speaker,” he said.
“If they don’t, then they can remove me, I will continue to serve as the representative of Taguig and Pateros. I will continue the lonely fight with whoever will join me,” Cayetano added.
The Speaker hit the so-called “Triple A Boys” in Congress – those who are “absent” during legislative duties, those who are supportive of the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, and those waiting for the release of their “allotments.”
“I believe in silver linings. So thank you to the Triple A Boys in Congress — ‘yung mga puro absent, sipsip sa ABS-CBN, at ‘yung mga nag-aantay lang ng allotments — you’ve shown me just how desperately we need to reform this institution. You have strengthened my resolve to continue the fight,” he said.
Velasco, who is set to take over the House speakership in October, dismissed Cayetano’s allegation as “baseless.”
“These reports are far from the truth. The reports were meant to create deep division within the House of Representatives and its members, destroy camaraderie, distract lawmakers from fulfilling their mandate, and more importantly, derail the key legislative agenda of the Duterte administration,” Velasco said.
“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,” he added.
At the start of the current Congress, Cayetano and Velasco were the strongest rivals for the speakership, and it took Duterte to broker an agreement under which Cayetano was supposed to sit for the first 15 months and Velasco for the remaining 21 months.