Cayetano, Velasco's birthdays figured in speakership talks

Their birthdays appear to have played a role in the "gentlemen's agreement" Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco hatch in 2019 in the presence of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Both Cayetano and a lawmaker identified with Velasco made the remark on Wednesday amid the discussions on when in Octover the so-called "15-21 deal" would be implemented with the incumbent stepping down in favor of the other.

In a privilege speech, Cayetano told his colleagues how Velasco repeatedly turned down President Rodrigo Duterte's request that the term-sharing turnover be moved to when Congress had already passed the P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021.

With Velasco saying that he should already be speaker when October started, Cayetano said the original agreement had it that he would still be speaker on his 50th birthday. 

“When we made the 15-21 at sabi ko nandiyan si Senator Bong Go. Very, very clear yung usapan: I have two budgets na ipapasa and magbi-birthday ako na ako Speaker, “ Cayetano said.

“Sabi n'ya, 'Birthday ko rin, eh.' Sabi ko, '50th birthday ko. Sentimental ako.' Sabi n'ya, 'Ang babaw mo naman.' Ang babaw ko talaga,” he added.

The said agreement—which allows Cayetano to serve as Speaker for the first 15 months of the 18th Congress before giving way to Velascon for the last 21 months of the present Congress —was brokered by no less than Duterte in 2019.

Prior to Cayetano’s speech, representative Doy Leachon of Oriental Mindoro also said that both Cayetano and Velasco wanted to celebrate their 2020 birthdays as House Speaker.

“Cayetano said, sana speaker pa rin siya sa birthday niya, October 28. Sabi naman ni Cong. Velasco, eh birthday niya November 9. Both of them agreed on the October 14 date [na mag-assume si Congressman Velasco],” Leachon said in an ANC interview.

Cayetano, in the same speech, has offered to resign but a plenary voice vote rejected his resignation.

The House of Representatives Rules adopted by 18th Congress does not provide for a plenary vote in the event that a Speaker resigns from post.

Instead, the House Rules provide that Deputy Speakers elect an Acting Speaker in the event that the Speaker resigns from post. -NB, GMA News