MANILA – “An astute political move.”
This was how Palace spokesperson Harry Roque described Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s move to suspend the House session until Nov. 16.
According to Roque, Cayetano used his experience as lawmaker to outsmart Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and prevent the latter’s possible takeover of House speakership on Oct. 14.
“It is not illegal, but I would think it’s a very astute political move because it avoided intramurals that could have possibly happened on Oct. 14,” Roque said in an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source.
“For what it’s worth, I think you need to have the experience of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano because he has dealt with the same rules, not only for three terms as congressman — this is already his fourth term as congressman — but also as a two-term senator,” he added.
The House on Tuesday abruptly suspended its session until Nov. 16 after passing the proposed 2021 national budget on second reading.
Roque, however, reiterated that Malacañang could not interfere in the affairs of the House even if it was President Rodrigo Duterte who brokered the term-sharing deal last year.
“In an issue such as this, there is no judge. Even the courts cannot intervene because the organization and leadership of the House is a purely internal matter and the Executive cannot really interfere in the choice of who the next Speaker will be,” Roque said.
Under the agreement, Cayetano would hold the speakership for 15 months from July 2019 and Velasco would take over to finish the succeeding 21 months./PN
