Supporters to join Cayetano, Velasco in meeting with Duterte

Respective supporters of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco from the House of Representatives will accompany them in their meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday amid the lingering speakership issue.

In a statement, PDP-Laban executive director Ron Munsayac said Velasco will be with his "most trusted team" in his meeting with Cayetano and the President.

This includes Deputy Speakers Mikee Romero and Johnny Pimentel, Ilocos Sur Representative Kristine Singson-Meehan from the Northern Alliance, and AAMBIS-OWA party-list Representative Sharon Garin of the Party-list Coalition.

Also accompanying Velasco are Abang Lingkod party-list Representative Joseph Stephen Paduano from the Visayan Bloc, Quezon Representative Mark Enverga and Rizal Representative Jack Duavit from the Nationalist People's Coalition, and Oriental Mindoro Representative Salvador Leachon from PDP-Laban.

"Expected after the meeting is the final word of the President of who shall be the next House Speaker as the term- sharing period ends on September 30, 2020 or the first 15 months of the 15-21 agreement brokered no less than by President Duterte," Munsayac said.

"The assumption of Cong. Lord Velasco as House Speaker is a realization of the party's major accomplishment of heading the lower chamber of the Legislative Department simultaneous with the incumbency of party's honorary chairman Rodrigo Roa Duterte as President of the Republic of the Philippines," he added.

On the part of Cayetano, reliable sources told GMA News Online that Majority Leader Martin Romualdez and Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte will accompany him.

Bulacan Representative Jonathan Sy-Alvarado also confirmed to GMA News that he will join Cayetano in the meeting.

The meeting will take place after a manifesto of support for Cayetano surfaced, reportedly signed by over 200 members of the House including leaders and representatives of various blocs and political parties.

But despite this manifesto, Buhay party-list Representative Lito Atienza said the President should tell Cayetano and Velasco to "honor" the term-sharing agreement.

"The President was the witness in forging that agreement. He was the third man, and he is the best man now to tell both parties: 'You better follow your commitment. You gave your word of honor, sabi niyo usapang lalaki yan, nagkamay kayo, tuparin niyo,'" Atienza told reporters in an interview.

"Knowing the President and his word of honor, I would hope that he now tells both parties, 'You honor your commitment. Anybody who breaks his commitment, huwag kayong haharap sa akin.' Dito ko makikita ang character ni Presidente," he added.

Under the term-sharing agreement, Cayetano is expected to hold the speakership for 15 months and Velasco would take over to finish the next 21 months. —LDF, GMA News