President Rodrigo Duterte played peacemaker for the last time between Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco shortly after the latter formally assumed the speakership of the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Duterte called for the meeting at Malacañang at noon. Wearing sunglasses and a polo shirt, he sat with Velasco, Cayetano, Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, then joined them in flashing their index fingers and fists for photos to symbolize the renewed unity of the administration allies.
It was Duterte who brokered a term-sharing agreement in 2019 where Cayetano would serve as the
Speaker until October 2020, while Velasco would supposedly take over and assume the position until the 18th Congress ends in 2022.
“This is to confirm that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has called Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano and Rep. Lord Allan Velasco for a meeting at 12:30 p.m. in Malago (Clubhouse) today regarding the passage of the 2021 budget,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque confirmed in a statement to reporters.
Velasco, who was formally installed as Speaker at around 11 a.m. in a plenary session populated by his allies, said he and Cayetano had already made amends as they met with the President.
"Yung nilalabas ko na healing hand kay Speaker Cayetano na kanina nag-usap na kami sa harap ni Pangulo, kami ay nagkasundo, nagkabati na po (I extended the healing hand to Cayetano when we talked earlier in front of the President. We came to an agreement, we made amends)," the new Speaker told his fellow lawmakers.
"And I am also extending that healing hand for all those na hindi masyado tayong nagkaintindihan (that we had a misunderstanding with)," he added.
Velasco also said he is open to offering a deputy speaker post to Cayetano.
"Gusto natin na magkaroon na tayo ng iisang Kongreso. Itigil na natin ang alitan. Ipakita na natin sa taumbayan na sa gitna ng pandemya ang ating pagsasama-sama, pagtutulungan (We want to have a united Congress. Let's stop the infighting. Let's show the nation that in the middle of the pandemic, we have unity, we help each other)," he said in his speech on Tuesday.
"Let us build a stronger House. Let us show everyone, the public, the world that we are honorable congressmen," Velasco added.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, who was also present at the meeting, likened Duterte’s actions to a father giving advice to his children.
“All is well. Parang tatay si Tatay Digong, kinausap mga anak nya. Pinagpayuhan na magkaisa. One majority and pass the budget on time para sa sambayanang Pilipino,” Go said in a message to reporters.
Duterte’s meeting with the two lawmakers came after he appealed to Congress to set politics aside and focus on the timely passage of the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021.
According to Roque, Duterte no longer wanted to be involved in the speakership row, which could possibly derail the passage of the proposed budget.
“Any talk of speakership will delay the passage of the 2021 budget,” he said in a press briefing on Monday, adding that Duterte did not care who would sit as Speaker.
Duterte, through Proclamation 1027, called on the Congress to hold a special session from Oct. 13 to 16 to "resume the congressional deliberations on the proposed 2021 national budget and to avoid any further delays on the prompt passage thereof in accordance with the Constitution and applicable laws, rules, and regulations".
On Monday, 186 lawmakers voted to elect Velasco as the new Speaker in a session at the Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City, ousting incumbent Cayetano.
An hour after, Cayetano’s office released a manifesto showing 200 lawmakers backing his continued leadership.
Cayetano’s manifesto contains 200 signatories out of the 299-member House. However, 186 lawmakers voted to elect Velasco.
This means that there are lawmakers who voted to elect Velasco also signed Cayetano’s manifesto.
Last Sept. 30, Cayetano offered to resign even if he was expected to remain as Speaker until Oct. 14 as part of his term-sharing agreement with Velasco.
His move was rejected by the majority of House members.