No election for speaker on Oct. 14 as House passes P4.5-trillion budget, suspends session

There will be no session of the House of Representatives on October 14, the date on which the plenary is supposed to formally elect Marinduque Reresentative Lord Allan Velasco as its speaker according to the "gentlemen's agreement" between him and Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.

The House on Tuesday abruptly suspended its session until November 16 after it approved on second reading for the proposed P4.5 trillion national budget for 2021.

Deputy Majority Leader Xavier Jesus Romualdo, following the approval on second reading of House Bill 7727 or the 2021 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), moved to suspend the session until November 16 "in accordance with our legislative calendar."

No less than Cayetano himself moved to approve the 2021 GAB on second reading, even though there were still many departments and agencies whose proposed budgets for next year were up for deliberation.

After Romualdo made his motion, Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu, who was presiding over the session at that time, declared that the session had been suspended until 3 p.m. on November 16.

The session was suspended ahead of the expected date of the turnover of the speakership to Velasco on October 14.

With no session happening on that date, there can be no formal proceedings to transfer the speakership to him.

Earlier, Velasco challenged Cayetano to honor the term-sharing agreement and step down from his post on October 14.

This was after 184 lawmakers rejected Cayetano's offer to resign from his post last September 30.

“Speaker Cayetano, you gave your word in front of the President to honor the term-sharing agreement. Please, I appeal to you, finish the budget and resign on October 14,” Velasco said in a video message on Friday.

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

Meanwhile, Cayetano said that while the sessions are suspended, lawmakers can still discuss the budget with the secretaries of various departments.

"I will give you that opportunity but not in this setting by waiting. I have talked to the Cabinet, all throughout the break, they will make themselves available to use in groups of five or 10 through Zoom or live so we can talk to them about the real problems of our districts," he said.

"So huwag kayong mag-alala, may one-two punch tayo. Itong papel na ito at ang pagkausap sa kanila," he added.

A small group of lawmakers has also been created to accept committee and individual amendments to the budget bill.

Committee on Appropriations chair Eric Yap earlier said that the House was aiming to approve the budget bill by October 14. -NB, GMA News