House to respect President's say on Cayetano-Velasco term sharing as Speaker: solon

The House of Representatives will respect President Rodrigo Duterte's word on the term-sharing deal that he brokered for Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco. 

Cayetano is supposed to serve as Speaker for 15 months or until October, followed by Velasco. 

"Siguro bago dumating iyong November, magsasalita ang ating Presidente at kung ano mang sasabihin niya, ano man iyong mapagkasunduan ng majority namin dito sa Congress, gagalangin namin iyon," House budget panel chair Eric Go Yap told ANC. 

(Perhaps before November, the President will talk about this and whatever he says and whatever the majority in Congress agrees on, we will respect that.) 
 
Duterte, in a meeting with Congress leaders on Wednesday, remarked cryptically: "Kawawa naman si Lord (pitiful Lord)." 

"Puwedeng 2 iyan: kawawa si Lord dahil hindi siya makaupo o kawawa si Lord na dapat makaupo siya," said Yap. 

(That could mean 2 things: Lord is pitiful because he won't be able to sit as House Speaker, or Lord is pitiful so he should sit as Speaker.)

Yap said Cayetano recently told him to focus on deliberations for 2021 national budget. He said he did not ask the Speaker if he would respect the deal with Velasco. 

"Boss ko siya, nahihiya akong magtanong," said Yap. 

(He's my boss, I am too shy to ask.) 

ANC, Sept. 21, 2020