Cayetano tags Romero, Teves for alleged illegal businesses, practices

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday said he would confront Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. and 1-Pacman party-list Representative Mikee Romero on what he claimed were "illegitimate or illegal business practices."

In a speech in Taguig City, Cayetano said Romero and Teves had illegal and illegitimate businesses or business practices.

"Sa tamang panahon, kapag natapos ang budget, I will confront former Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero and Cong. Arnie Teves sa kanilang business practices at ang paggamit nila ng pagiging kongresista para sa illegitimate o illegal na gawain," Cayetano said.

Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte, an ally of the Speaker, has accused Teves, along with former Negros Occidental Representative Albee Benitez, of having ties to illegal gambling.

Romero is a businessman with interests in ports, mining and air travel.

"Malinaw ang Konstitusyon na hindi pwedeng gamitin ang posisyon ng congressman lalo kung illegitimate o illegal yung business. At kapag legal ang business, may mga pagkilos na magiging illegal," Cayetano said in a separate statement through Facebook Live.

"Sorry, hindi ko talaga pinayagan kahit gaano kayo karami, kahit gaano kalakas kayo, kahit sabihin mong backup sayo si Albee Benitez at yung Visayan bloc. Ang bawal ay bawal, ang illegal ay illegal lalo sa panahon ng pandemya, don't take advantage of the public," he added.

Teves earlier made headlines after he questioned the infrastructure allocations of Taguig City and Camarines Sur, in which the legislative districts of Cayetano and Villafuerte are located.

Meanwhile, Romero, president of the Party-list Coalition at the House, was removed as deputy speaker on Friday.

Romero was among those who accompanied Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco, Cayetano's rival, in their meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang.

Cayetano denied the claim that "60%" of the budget of Metro Manila would go to Taguig City.

"Ang sabi we're not being fair with the party-lists. I-compare niyo ang lahat ng mga committees at participation nila sa huling mga Kongreso, record-breaking ang mga posisyon na ginawa natin," Cayetano said.

Asked for his comment, Romero dismissed Cayetano's accusations as "nonsense" and mere "squid tactics" to divert attention.

"My business is only airline now. All above board with [a] Malaysian [company] publicly listed corporation as partner. I have even divested there," Romero told GMA News Online in a text message.

"Nonsense naman, it's just [a Cayetano] attack to divert attention. Squid tactics. I have remained quiet naman kahit tinaggal nila ako," he added.

Last year, Romero's family took majority control of Philippines AirAsia after buying out the Filipino co-founder of the budget carrier’s local operator.

Teves has yet to respond to GMA News Online's request for comment.

Cayetano, meanwhile, urged those who did not support his leadership to not make the speakership issue about the budget.

He pointed out that Velasco had told the President that he would pass the 2021 National Expenditure Program "as it has been proposed," but at the same time accused him and his allies of tackling the budget for their own favors.

"Sinabi mo sa Pangulo ipapasa mo as is, so you admit that it's from the President. Paano naging barkada ni Cayetano o si Cayetano ang gumawa ng budget?" he said.

"So maraming issues na makikita niyo, sa paliwanagan, mas madali talagang manira, mas madaling magbigay ng incredible numbers," he added.

A total of 184 lawmakers voted to reject Cayetano's offer to resign last week.

Despite this, Velasco still challenged Cayetano to honor the term-sharing agreement before 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. -NB/LDF, GMA News