PDP-Laban solons willing to sign manifesto to prove support for Cayetano

Members of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) in the House of Representatives are willing to sign a manifesto to prove their continued support for Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano amid reports of coup against him.

PDP-Laban spokesperson and House Deputy Speaker Johnny Pimentel said Monday his partymates have no knowledge of any coup attempt against Cayetano and they will not take part, if there is any.

"Wala talaga kaming nalalaman dito sa kudeta. Kung meron man, hindi sasama, hindi magpa-participate ang PDP-Laban sa ganung mga plano. Because we believe, as an institution, we should be united in pursuing the urgent bills that the President sent us," he told reporters.

"If there is a need that we sign a manifesto of support, PDP-Laban is willing to do that just to show our sincerity that we do not know anything about this. All the PDP-Laban members can sign a manifesto supporting Speaker Cayetano," he added.

Cayetano earlier alleged that Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco, a PDP-Laban member, was working to have him removed from his post by offering leadership posts to lawmakers and assuring them of extra budgetary allocations for their districts.

Velasco is set to assume Cayetano's position by October in accordance to their "15-21" term-sharing agreement brokered no less than by President Rodrigo Duterte at the beginning of the 18th Congress.

Pimentel said they already talked to Cayetano last week to ensure him of their non-participation in the supposed coup plans against him.

He said they would once again meet with Cayetano on Monday to reiterate their position.

Pimentel, however, took exception of the reported move that all positions in the House would be declared vacant and an election would be held for new leadership posts.

"Sana huwag mangyari 'yun. I hope that will not happen because that will be very unfair to some PDP-Laban members occupying chairmanship. We are being penalized for something that we know nothing of," he said.

"Why should we be penalized for something na hindi namin alam just because of allegations, just because of accusations? I think that is very unfair because nakita naman ninyo we are very diligent in our work," he added.

Velasco himself earlier said that he would honor the term-sharing agreement between him and Cayetano.

He, however, has yet to make fresh comments on the allegations being thrown to him by Cayetano.—AOL, GMA News