Duterte distances self from House’s term-sharing deal issue

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte at the DusitD2 Davao Hotel in Davao City on September 27, 2019. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte will not meddle in the issues hounding the House speakership term-sharing agreement between his allies, congressmen Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig and Lord Allan Velasco of Marinduque.

Duterte took a hands-off approach to the possible scrapping of term-sharing deal, as he wanted the congressmen to address the issue without his intervention.

The President made the remarks when he attended the joint birthday celebration of Velasco and his wife, Rowena, held at the Gloria Maris Restaurant in San Juan City on Monday night.

“Kung iyan ang usapan — term-sharing — nasa inyo na ‘yan (If that’s the agreement — term-sharing — it’s up to you), if the parties would honor,” Duterte said in his speech.

“I am not forcing anybody to take a stand.

It’s your choice because the agreement and the choice is yours ’cause you can make or unmake the Speaker,” he added.

Duterte first announced the term-sharing arrangement between Cayetano and Velasco on July 8.

Under the term-sharing deal, Cayetano would serve as the House Speaker for the first 15 months, or until October 2020, while Velasco would take over and assume the highest position at the House of Representatives for the remaining 21 months or until 18th Congress ends in 2022.

Cayetano’s allies in the 304-strong chamber earlier floated the possibility of him retaining his post as House Speaker, considering his recent strong approval and trust scores.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, in a press conference with Palace reporters on Tuesday, said the Chief Executive’s stance is “clear” that he would not interfere, “unless his advice is sought.”

“Hindi siya nakikialam sa mga ganyan (He will not meddle in such kind of issue),” the Palace official said.

Pressed whether Duterte would accept the possibility that Cayetano would assume the House Speaker’s post until 2022, Panelo said: “You get your conclusion from what he (Duterte) said.”

“I think his statements are clear enough… The President has spoken so I don’t even have to add anything to what he said, which is very clear.

So you reach your own conclusion,” he added.

On October 28, Cayetano expressed openness to the idea of serving a full term of House speakership, should Velasco agree to it.

But on Monday, Cayetano assured Velasco that he would honor the term-sharing agreement between them.

Stressing that “a gentleman’s agreement is a gentleman’s agreement,” Velasco was confident that Cayetano would hand over to him the speakership in October 2020.