Committee chairmanship, budget deliberations may be affected with change in House speakership —analyst

Expect changes at the House of Representatives with a change in speaker, a political analyst said on Wednesday.

“May epekto naman talaga sa trabaho sa House ang pagpapalit-palit ng speaker. Baka tamaan ‘yong mga chairmanship,” Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, said in an interview on Balitanghali.

“Halimbawa, tamaan ‘yong mga batas na pinag-uusapan ngayon, lalo na ‘yong budget. Kaya ang ano rin niya (Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano) ay dahan-dahan (pero) that was last year,” Casiple added.

Cayetano and Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco had a prior term sharing deal, wherein the former will sit as speaker for 15 months, after which Velasco will hold the post for 21 months. The deal was brokered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Last year, Casiple said Cayetano told him there was no problem about turning over the speakership as agreed with Velasco.

However, there has been a manifesto in the House calling for Cayetano to remain as head of the lower chamber.

“Willing siya (Cayetano). Hindi willing ‘yong mga kasama niya kasi ‘yong mayorya ng mga congressmen, naglabas ng manifesto ay talagang napakarami ang gustong i-retain siya,” he said.

Duterte met with both Cayetano and Velasco on Tuesday night to discuss the matter.

The camps of Cayetano and Velasco remained at odds even after their meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte.

Oriental Mindoro Representative Doy Leachon said both camps agreed that Velasco will sit as Speaker starting October 14 as provided under the term-sharing agreement reached 15 months ago.

Deputy Speaker LRay Villafuerte, however, said that Velasco still cannot claim victory unless the majority of House members move to declare the position of Speaker vacant and elect a new one as provided by House Rules.

Casiple said a change in leadership should not affect the work of the House.

“Kung magpalit man sila, hindi dapat maapektuhan o sasama o babagal ang trabaho nila. Ang daming kailangang gawing desisyon eh,” he said. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/KG, GMA News