Cayetano to remain Speaker if House decides on speakership issue —solon

Deputy Speaker Neptali Gonzales II believes that Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano will remain at the helm of the House of Representatives if the chamber "will be left alone to decide on the issue of speakership."

Gonzales made the remark on Thursday in regard to the term-sharing agreement between Cayetano and Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco.

In a statement, Gonzales enumerated the experience of Cayetano in public service that shows his "caliber of leadership."

"He has been honed by years of political experience –having started his political career from councilor, congressman, and Senator," he said.

"Being a Majority Leader of the Senate too, provided further mastery of his parliamentary skills, not to mention that his familiarity with the Senators also worked to the advantage of the House, in terms of dealing with our Senate counterparts," he added.

Gonzales also cited the closer relationship and coordination between the House and the Cabinet due Cayetano's previous role as foreign affairs secretary.

"This is the only time in the history of the House, that a Speaker was once a upon a time, both a former Senator and a cabinet Secretary and who has had a working relationship with the current crop of sitting senators and cabinet secretaries. This obviously has helped a lot in fast-tracking the legislative mill," he said.

Apart from his experience, Cayetano has also demonstrated his willingness to hear the concern of the members of the House, Gonzales said. The chamber has also "effectively delivered" amid the difficulties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic under Cayetano's leadership, he added.

"We do not know how long this pandemic will last and what is yet to come in the future. What is certain though is that it will continue to affect all activities including the ability of the House to effectively respond immediately to what is needed by the country," he said.

"But with Speaker Alan at the helm of the leadership in the House, I can say that we are on steady course, it has already been tested, and we have nothing to fear," he added.

With his statement, Gonzales joined several lawmakers from various political parties and blocs at the House who threw their support at Cayetano amid the issues term-sharing agreement.

Though not binding, the 15:21 term-sharing deal that President Rodrigo Duterte had brokered between Cayetano and Velasco remains a "gentleman's agreement."

Cayetano's 15-month part of the deal is supposed to end in October, which will give way for Velacso's 21-month term as Speaker.

Among those who also want Cayetano to remain Speaker are Representatives Boying Remulla of Cavite, Edgar Erice of Caloocan City, Luis Villafuerte of Camarines Sur, Michael Defensor of Anak Kalusugan party-list, Pantaleon Alvarez of Davao del Norte, and Elpidio Barzaga of Dasmariñas.

Buhay party-list Representative Lito Atienza, however, urged Cayetano to honor his term-sharing deal with Velasco.

On Tuesday, Velasco broke his silence on the issue of the term-sharing agreement, saying that although he had not been making comments on the matter, it did not mean that he was already uninterested or has turned his back on the deal.

[Being] "'mum on issues' means I just don’t want to call attention to myself. Being party to the term-sharing agreement, one does not and should not seek to compete with the current Speaker as a gentleman’s agreement is in force. We will have our turn at the right time," he said.

But in a separate statement, Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta said that leadership is not about competing or "waiting our turn at the right time."

"In Congress, we needed everyone to rally behind the Speaker in enacting the crucial pieces of legislation that will secure our survival as a people," he said.

Marcoleta said that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the "the gentleman's agreement" is not the test of leadership at the House but [on] how the chamber works to help resolve the problems that the crisis has made.

"May kasabihan po tayo na mahirap magpalit ng kapitan sa gitna ng umaalimpuyong bagyo. I know that in another time, the star of my friend will still shine the brightest," he said. —LBG, GMA News