BY GENALYN KABILING
While he may have brokered the term-sharing deal in the House leadership, President Duterte insists he could not force the lawmakers on who to vote for their speaker, Malacañang said Friday.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the President already reminded Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco to honor the term-sharing agreement in a meeting last Tuesday, but in the end, he said he would respect the decision of the individual members of the Lower House.
“The agreement was between Speaker Alan and Congressman Lord. Yes, it was brokered by the President. The President I think has done his responsibility to remind both candidates for the position to honor their words but in the end, even two weeks ago, the President said, kung walang numero si Congressman Lord Allan, wala akong magagawa,” Roque said over CNN Philippines Friday.
“So in effect the President cannot coerce, intimidate, force the House members into voting one way or another. He can only remind the two leaders of what was agreed upon but in the end he recognizes it is not the President’s call who to elect for Speaker,” he said.
Cayetano recently offered to resign to make way for Velasco under a deal to split the leadership of the 18th Congress. The House plenary however rejected Cayetano’s offer and rallied support for his continued leadership. (Genalyn Kabiling)
