Cayetano accuses Velasco of turning House a ‘rubber stamp’ of executive

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday accused Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco of turning the House of Representatives as a "rubber stamp" of the executive.

This was after Velasco supposedly said he will pass the 2021 National Expenditure Program (NEP) "as is."

"The President is not asking us to be a rubber stamp. It is Cong. Velasco who's asking or was telling the President we will be a rubber stamp. Kung ano daw yung NEP, yun ang ipapasa," Cayetano said.

"Sabi niya, Mr. President, kung kaya ni Cayetano ang budget, kaya ko rin yan. But don't worry kung ano ang nasa NEP, yan ang ipapasa ko. Never in the history of the Philippines napasa yung NEP kasi may Senado tayo," he added. 

Cayetano asked his colleagues if they were willing to pass the proposed budget under the NEP with no changes or amendments at all.

"Payag ba kayo na ipasa natin ang NEP as is? Kasi kung payag kayo, let's make the motion, we move to approve the NEP as is. That's the proposal of your new Speaker. Because he does not need my help, of [Appropriations chair] Eric Yap, of [Deputy Speaker for Finance] LRay Villafuerte. Kaya daw niyang ipasa," Cayetano said.

Cayetano even dared Velasco to take over the speakership this day, and prove that he can have the budget passed on time.

"Gusto mo ng September 30, sige. If our colleagues want you today, ikaw na. Let him show that he can pass the budget on time. But more than that, let him show that it will be a great budget. A budget that all of us can be proud of," he added.

At the end of his speech, Cayetano offered to resign from his post, only to be rejected by his fellow lawmakers through a nominal vote. — RSJ/NB, GMA News