The members of the majority allied with President Rodrigo Duterte should not be removed from their leadership posts in the House as they are committed to supporting the administration’s legislative agenda.
This was stressed by 1-PACMAN Partylist Rep. Enrico Pineda, who on Wednesday asked: “Why have our colleagues been relieved of their posts for expressing support for the President’s choice for Speaker, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco?”
Pineda was referring to 1-PACMAN Representative Michael Romero, AAMBIS-OWA Partylist Rep. Sharon Garin, Valenzuela 2nd District Rep. Eric Martinez, and Quezon 4th District Rep. Angelina Tan, who were replaced as House Deputy Speaker, head of the House Committee on Economic Affairs, head of the House Committee on Youth and Sports Development, and head of the House Committee on Health, respectively.
The administration lawmaker, who also heads the House Committee on Labor, said Romero and the other three representatives “should not be punished for being loyal to the President, or for making it known that they respect the President and trust his judgment.”
According to Pineda, “these are members who have consistently supported the legislative agenda and the vision of the Duterte Administration.
“If, for some reason, they break ranks from the Majority and attack the President or his policies, then by all means they should be sanctioned. But they have not; they have stood by the administration, supported its agenda, and repeatedly proven their loyalty.”
Pineda said Cayetano was sabotaging the supermajority that had been held together by its support for the President and his decisions––including the term-sharing agreement brokered by the President at the beginning of the 18th Congress.
“Is this the Speaker’s way of saying that it is his way or the highway? Is Speaker Cayetano now demanding that we choose between him and the President?”
Pineda said the President had repeatedly expressed support for Velasco, meeting with the Marinduque solon again on Monday night to convey his desire for Velasco to take over as Speaker in accordance with the term-sharing agreement between him and Cayetano.
At that meeting, the President told Velasco, “It is your right time now.”
“I have already spoken. You have to insist on your right based on the term-sharing agreement,” Duterte added.
