Cayetano apologizes for anxiety, assures Duterte budget passed on time

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday night apologized to President Rodrigo Duterte and to the public for "adding anxiety to an already uncertain situation."

Cayetano assured Duterte that the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021 will be passed on time despite the leadership squabble at the House of Representatives.

"We welcome the President’s stern warning to all parties to stop all the politicking as it could jeopardize the welfare of our fellow citizens at this critical time," Cayetano said.

"In this, we are not evading any responsibility for our own actions, and would in fact like to sincerely apologize again to the President and the whole nation for adding anxiety to an already uncertain situation," he added.

Earlier in the day, Duterte threatened to intervene if Congress would fail to pass the national budget on time amid the speakership row between Cayetano and Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco.

"Either you resolve the issue sa impasse ninyo diyan and pass the budget legally and constitutionally. 'Pag hindi ninyo ginawa, ako ang gagawa para sa inyo," the President said in a taped address.

The incumbent Speaker also assured Duterte that the actions the House has taken are “legal, constitutional, and in line with time honored precedence in the House.”

“Neither I nor the other members of Congress will sacrifice the budget in this critical time, for political expediency,” Cayetano added.

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

The suspension effectively prevented the turnover of the speakership to Velasco on October 14, delaying the fulfillment of the “gentleman’s agreement” where Cayetano would be speaker for 15 months and Velasco would take over for the remaining 21.

Velasco denounced Cayetano and his allies’ “haphazard declaration of the suspension of session” that “contradicts and violates the provisions of the Constitution on the inter-parliamentary courtesy.”

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman added that the early suspension “violates Concurrent Resolution No. 11 authorizing the suspension of sessions only from October 17, 2020 to November 15, 2020.”

Cayetano’s allied lawmakers have since denied committing any violation. -NB, GMA News