Velasco offering posts, budget for solons amid House 'coup' reports, Cayetano claims

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday alleged that Marinduque Representative Lord Alan Velasco has been talking to some congressmen and offering them positions and budget allocations for their districts supposedly to gain their favors.

Cayetano made the remark amid reports of an ouster plot against him, which he earlier claimed was connected to the issues on the national budget and the House's inaction on the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN.

In an interview with reporters in Taguig City, Cayetano said about 20 congressmen have told him that they have been offered chairmanship posts and budget allocations supposedly by Velasco.

"Normal naman kapag nahuhuli, nagde-deny. But unless about 20 congressmen are lying to me na pinapangakuan ng chairmanship at sinasabi na next year is may budget, ako na magdidikta kung kanino ibibigay, et cetera, et cetera, and I don't think naman mang-iintriga ang 20 congressmen," he said.

"Nangangako ng pondo and chairmanship at yung iba, siya mismo ang kausap. But as I said, kapag nahuli, ano pa ba ang sasabihin?... Meron kasing mga pananabotahe sa budget na nangyayari ngayon that I have to deal with na na-trace namin sa kampo nila," he added.

Velasco had earlier denied reports that he was behind the reported "coup plans" against Cayetano, stressing that he will honor the term-sharing agreement between them.

Cayetano said that when it comes to the leadership in the House, he will follow President Rodrigo Duterte's instruction. But he said the supposed ouster plot against him is "divisive" and disrupts their work in the House.

"Huwag nating guguluhin ang present na pagtrabaho ng ating Kongreso kasi naaapektuhan yung trabaho e. But it's verified na talagang may mga nag-attempt," he added.

Cayetano advised those congressmen and House leaders who are involved in the coup plans to just resign from their positions and come back when Velasco is already the Speaker.

"If you cannot cooperate with the present leadership, umalis muna kayo sa committees niyo, sa chairmanship, bumalik na lang kayo kapag Speaker na si Cong. Velasco," he said.

"But habang ako ang Speaker, we do things by consensus, kung ano ang tama yun ang gagawin natin. Huwag niyong gagamitin ang budget, huwag niyong gagamitin ang ABS-CBN issue, huwag niyong gagamitin ang chairmanships kasi nadi-disrupt ang Kongreso," he added.

Under the term-sharing agreement, Cayetano will hold the speakership post for 15 months from the beginning of the 18th Congress. Velasco is expected to take over the next 21 months. —KBK, GMA News