Duterte asked Velasco to move speakership turnover to December — Cayetano

President Rodrigo Duterte has asked Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco to move the turnover of the speakership to December to give way for budget deliberations.

Cayetano made the remark in his speech before lawmakers on Wednesday, a day after he and Velasco met with Duterte to iron out the speakership row.

"The President repeatedly asked the Cong. Velasco to move the term sharing agreement to December so that Congress may be able to finish the budget," he said.

"The President asked this not to give me a few months as speaker but because it was for the good of the country," he added. 

Cayetano said Duterte's appeal to Velasco was rejected "many, may times despite the reasonings given."

Earlier in his speech, Cayetano highlighted the importance of passing the 2021 budget on time considering the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"More than the speakership, the budget must be the primary concern of the members of Congress especially in 2021 because we are in a crossroads," he said. 

"The budget must not be delayed as it will affect the government's entire recovery program," Cayetano added.

Cayetano and Velasco reached a "gentlemen's agreement" in 2019 in which Cayetano would be at the helm of the House for the first 15 months while Velasco would have the post for the next 21 months.

Cayetano's 15 months is set to end in October. Some of his supporters however accused Velasco of doing "nothing" and was just waiting to claim the speakership "as if it was his birthright."

Velasco, upholding that the term-sharing agreement should be honored, said his silence in the past months was "in deference and respect to the sitting Speaker." —KBK, GMA News