Velasco: Cayetano wants to be president in 2022

Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco said Friday Speaker Alan Cayetano does not like to honor their sharing agreement because of the latter’s “personal ambition” to become the President in 2022.

“He is fighting for personal interest and ambition. Akalain mo ba naman, guluhin niya iyong buong budget process. Why? Out of fear. Speaker Cayetano is doing everything to be able to achieve his personal ambition and interes na maging Presidente ng 2022,” Velasco said in an ANC interview.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Pandemic [ngayon], we are looking at the survival of our country. Inuuna muna niya ang kanyang political survival before the survival of our country,” he added.

Congress suspended its session on Tuesday until November 16 after approving the second reading for the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021.

The suspension prevented Velasco of supposedly taking over as the new House Speaker if Cayetano would honor their term-sharing agreement brokered by Duterte.

ADVERTISEMENT

President Rodrigo  earlier ordered the  to fix the P4.506-trillion 2021  passage, or he will do it for them.

Also read: Cayetano apologizes to Duterte, public over budget woes

Velasco: Cayetano wants to be president in 2022

“If you do not solve the problem, then I will solve the problem for you. Mamili kayo (You choose), either we have the positive development where the people will be satisfied, our masters,” he said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Velasco said he is confident that the Congress would open session as long as the majority wants it.

“We can change the rules as long as the majority wants it,” he said.

“Even if the session is closed, if the majority wants to open the session, they can open the session,” Velasco added.

Velasco also reiterated Friday his earlier call on his House colleagues to open the session following Duterte’s wish to pass the national budget on time.

“We welcome President Duterte’s call for a transparent, equitable, and just spending package for 2021. This will only materialize if Congress heeds the Chief Executive’s appeal to pass the budget legally and constitutionally. We reiterate our call to follow the legislative calendar, which was disrupted by the events of October 6, 2020,” Velasco said.