Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano says he’s “open” to serving as House Speaker for the entirety of the 18th Congress and claimed he’s mentally set to serve only 15 months under his term-sharing pact with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco.
“I’m open to the possibility. Eh kung si Congressman Velasco mismo magsabi sa akin, ‘Ikaw na lang,’ alangan namang pilitin ko pa siya,” Cayetano said.
“Tao din tayo, we’re also public servants, and we also believe in our own leadership. How can other people believe in my leadership if I don’t believe in my leadership?” he said. “Having said that, may leadership din yung tao. May following din ‘yung tao, head din siya ng partido ng ating Pangulo, so I have to also respect that.”
The speakership in the 18th Congress, which began last July, is unprecedented as it will be subjected to a “15-21” split at least according to plan.
Cayetano will serve as speaker for the first 15 months, after which Velasco would take over the top spot in the House of Representatives for the final 21 months. President Duterte himself suggested the term-sharing deal as a last-ditch effort to prevent his coalition from splintering.
“It’s my personal choice to follow the President dahil part ako ng coalition at siya ang head ng coalition. I do believe na hindi makikialam (Duterte) as President, but as head of the coalition, susundin ko ang kanyang directive,” he said.
Cayetano said he is “planning for 12 more months” as Speaker, since he already has three months in the bag. “Until that time, mas magandang tutukan yung mga kailangan nating gawin.”
Meanwhile, Cayetano yesterday asked Vice President Leni Robredo if she has a better response to the country’s illegal drugs problem, following her criticism of Duterte’s war against drugs which she described as a failure.
“It’s easy to criticize, but what we need from the Vice President or any of the critics, including our critics from the Western world, ano ang programa niyo na mas maganda sa programa ni President Duterte?” Cayetano said. “Kung may programa kayong mas maganda, why not?” he added.
Cayetano said he disagrees with the Vice President’s assessment of the drug war, which was launched during the start of Duterte’s term in June 2016.
“I really hope that iba ‘yung pagkasabi ng ating Bise Presidente at iba kung ano ibig niya sabihin,” he said. “Because the way it came out was that para bang dapat walang war on drugs. Di ba?” the House Speaker said. “Pero ‘yung sinabi mong failed ang drug war, why does more than 80 percent of our people believe that it’s safer now in the Philippines?” he asked. (Ellson Quismorio)
