Term-sharing deal already carried out when Cayetano offered to resign —solon

As far as Deputy Speaker Dan Fernandez is concerned, the term-sharing agreement on the speakership has already been "carried out" after Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano offered his resignation to make way for Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco, but was rejected by a majority of House members.

"Naganap na 'yung term-sharing agreement nung September 30," Fernandez said in a Dobol B sa News TV interview on Sunday, referring to the day when Cayetano stood up on the floor and offered his resignation as Speaker, consistent with what Velasco's camp was saying was the day when he would take over the speakership.

However, 184 lawmakers rejected Cayetano's offer for resignation in a nominal voting conducted after Anakalusugan party-list Representative Mike Defensor's motion.

Fernandez said that although Velasco's camp had been saying that the term-sharing period would end by September 30, they were caught off guard by Cayetano's move that day.

"Hindi naging handa si Cong. Velasco at ang kaniyang grupo na this will be the move of Speaker Cayetano. Sino ba tayo para kwestiyonin ang kanyang layunin na ibig sabihin it is the prerogative of the Speaker to resign on whatever capacity that he wanted?" he said.

"He wanted to resign on September 30, he wanted to resign on October 1 or 14. It really doesn't matter as long as sinunod niya 'yung kanyang agreement na sinasabi nilang 15 months, at sinasabi ni Allan Velasco na 'yun ay noong September 30. Ginawa ni Alan Peter Cayetano 'yun," he added.

Fernandez also defended Cayetano when instead of tendering his resignation upfront, he simply offered it, which meant that he was honoring the term-sharing agreement but still considering the opinion of the many members of the House.

"Dahil he was able to establish a good working relationship with all the members of the House of Representatives, e siyempre you have to consider ang damdamin namin. Kabastusan naman na magre-resign ka nang hindi mo sasabihin, ie-explain, at hindi mo dadalhin sa floor 'yung iyong resignation," he said.

"Doon lamang sa resignation na pinakita ni Speaker na nirerespeto niya ang Presidente at nirerespeto niya ang kabuuan ng miyembro ng Mababang Kapulungan," he added.

Despite his offer to resign rejected, Velasco, in a video statement on Friday, challenged Cayetano to honor the term-sharing agreement before President Rodrigo Duterte and step down from the speakership on October 14.

Under the original term-sharing agreement, Cayetano would hold the speakership for months and Velasco would take over to finish the succeeding 21 months. —KG, GMA News