Former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has signed a Nacionalista Party (NP) manifesto expressing support for newly installed Speaker Lord Allan Velasco making it unlikely that Cayetano would join the minority in the House of Representatives, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Barbers said on Thursday.
鈥淭here is no truth to the rumor that we will become minority,鈥� Barbers said during a virtual press conference, adding that all 44 NP members in the House, including Cayetano and his wife, Taguig Rep. Lani Cayetano, have signed the manifesto.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 a possibility that Speaker Alan will become a member of the minority,鈥� Barbers told reporters. 鈥淚t is very clear in our manifesto that as a block, as a group headed by former Speaker Alan, we are supporting Speaker Lord Velasco.鈥�
In a separate statement, another Cayetano party mate and Las Pi帽as Rep. Camille Villar, daughter of Sen. Cynthia Villar and sister of Public Works Sec. Mark Villar, said the NP would 鈥渨ork closely鈥� with Velasco to pass President Duterte鈥檚 legislative agenda, particularly the 2021 spending law.
鈥淭he Nacionalista Party, along with my esteemed House colleagues in the party, also commits to the speedy passage of the 2021 national budget that would be truly reflective of the needs of the people and not merely based on the requirements of the districts,鈥� Villar said.
Barbers said that while the NP wanted no changes in key positions at the House, the party recognizes that it remains the prerogative of Velasco to ensconce allies who supported his speakership bid.
The congressman made the remarks amid speculation that Cayetano would move to the minority because of the rancorous contest for the speakership. On Wednesday, one of Cayetano鈥檚 staunches allies, Camarines Sur Second District Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr., was removed as deputy speaker, a move that, Villafuerte claimed, betrayed vindictiveness.
鈥淭heir vindictiveness merely shows that we were right all along, and exposes the kind of 鈥榣eadership鈥� we can expect,鈥� he said.
鈥淒espite what has happened, I will continue to support the legislative agenda of the President in whatever capacity I can. But if the new leadership chooses divisiveness over unity, to move back, instead of forward, and to reject our offers of cooperation, that is no longer on me,鈥� he added.
The minority, on the other hand, welcomed Cayetano鈥檚 supposed move to the ranks of the 25 man bloc that would potentially balloon to 69 votes.
鈥淲e welcome him,鈥� said Minority Leader and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante. 鈥淚f he is willing to get the minority leader position, I would be very glad to give that to him.鈥� Abante said in an interview with reporters.
But Abante doubted that Cayetano would even want to join the minority.