Cayetano offers to resign as Speaker

FILE: Alan Peter Cayetano in Malacañan on Oct. 28, 2016 KING RODRIGUEZ/Presidential Photo

MANILA – Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday offered to resign as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco met with President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night to resolve the row on the House speakership.

“Cong. Velasco told the President that he is ready. Then I think the best time to prove it is now. Gusto mo ng September 30? Sige. If colleagues want you today, sige, ikaw na, (You want September 30? Go. If colleagues want you today, then go ahead),” Cayetano told lawmakers in a speech before the plenary.

Cayetano said it is now up to his colleagues to decide on the House leadership.

“I will not be party to let the President down, so I am offering my resignation here and now to you, my dear colleagues. My fate and the fate of the 2021 budget and the fate of the leadership of the House is in your hands,” he said.

Following Cayetano’s speech, Anakalusugan Rep.

Mike Defensor moved to deny Cayetano’s offer to resign. His motion was duly seconded by Bulacan Rep. Jose Antonio Sy Alvarado.

The House plenary approved the motion to reject Cayetano’s resignation through voice voting.

According to reports, Velasco will take over the speakership post starting October 14 based on the original term-sharing agreement that was brokered by Duterte at the start of the 18th Congress in July last year.

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