Duterte expected to accept Cayetano's apology following speakership mess —Palace

Malacañang on Wednesday said President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to accept the apology of Taguig Representative Alan Peter Cayetano, who thought the chief executive wanted him to pass the proposed 2021 national budget before stepping down as Speaker.

Cayetano made the apology on Tuesday after he was formally replaced by Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco during a plenary vote.

Cayetano, who claimed that he resigned from his post, said it was never his intention to disobey the President, who brokered the term-sharing deal between him and Velasco last year.

“According to Senator Bong Go, he (Duterte) was like a father. So of course, a father would accept an apology from a son. And all is well that ends well,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a CNN Philippines interview.

Duterte met with Cayetano and Velasco at the Malacañang Golf Club after the leadership issue was fixed.

During the meeting on Tuesday afternoon, the two lawmakers agreed to work together to ensure the timely passage of the budget and other priority measures of the government.

“The President, of course, was very appreciative of the cooperation of both parties. And he appreciated the fact that Congress is now focusing on the budget because that has been his call from the very beginning to pass the 2021 budget,” Roque said.

The speakership row between Velasco and Cayetano had threatened to delay the passage of the 2021 budget, which contains funds for COVID-19 pandemic response, prompting Duterte to step in by calling for a special session of Congress from October 13 to 16.

He also certified the budget bill as urgent to expedite its passage. —KBK, GMA News