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Cayetano camp ‘antagonizing’ Velasco over P20-B slash in military, police pension —House leaders


Allies of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco denounced the camp of former Taguig Representative Alan Peter Cayetano for dragging the House leader's name over the P20 billion that was reduced from the Pension and Gratuity Fund (PGF) of military and uniformed personnel for 2021.

Anakalusugan partylist Representative Mike Defensor had blamed Velasco for the decrease of the pension funds for the state's uniformed personnel. He said the PGF was "significantly reduced from P172.9 billion to P152.9 billion, adding that this deduction "largely affected" the payment of 2018 pension differentials.

Deputy Speaker and Negros Occidental Representative Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves claimed that Defensor's allegation was part of the attempt of the Cayetano camp to "antagonize" Velasco.

“It was obviously premeditated with some members of the so-called ‘BTS sa Kongreso’ present to interpellate Defensor and tried but failed to amplify the allegations against Speaker Velasco,” Teves said.

For Teves, the camp wants to make Velasco "look bad in the eyes of President Rodrigo Duterte" by attacking Velasco on an issue close to the President's heart, the pension of retired police and military personnel.

He even said Cayetano, the former Speaker, and his allies have remained "disillusioned."

"Hanggang ngayon tila hindi pa rin nila matanggap na si Speaker Velasco ang tanging pinili ni Pangulong Duterte para mamuno sa Kamara,” Teves said.

Defensor's allegation bared during his privilege speech was immediately answered by Committee on Appropriations chairman Eric Yap. According to Yap, it was his decision to reduce the PGF of the military and police for 2021, without consulting Velasco.

Yap also said the budget was realigned for the government's COVID-19 response. He added that the P70 billion, which was reduced in the PGF of uniformed personnel in fiscal year 2020, was the one affecting the release of the 2018 pension differential for the retired MUPs.

Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza also criticized Cayetano's camp over the issue.

"The motive in the first place smacks of utter hypocrisy Cayetano’s group is so notorious of,” Atienza said.

"Umaalma sila sa binawas na P20 billion na napunta naman sa COVID-19 response ng gobyerno pero ‘yung P70 bilyon at kabuuang P209 bilyon na tinapyas nila sa 2020 national budget eh okay lang sa kanila,” he added.

Senior Deputy Speaker Salvador "Doy" Leachon said Yap made sufficient explanation over the matter, noting that the current issues hounding the pension of retired MUPs was due to the P70 billion slashed in 2020, during Cayetano's term.

"It is crystal clear that the P20 billion realignment done for 2021 has no impact on the current issues faced by retirees, contrary to what the Cayetano camp tried to impress upon us,” Leachon said.

The office of Yap is working to file a supplemental budget worth P50 billion to address the issue.—LDF, GMA News

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