MANILA, Philippines – Senator Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel on Thursday said Taguig-Pateros Representative Alan Peter Cayetano still needs to work on getting the House speakership post despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s endorsement of a term-sharing deal between Congressmen Cayetano and Lord Allan Velasco.
“Advantage siya ngayon with the statement of the President. Swerte nga niya eh. He has the advantage but not an assurance — he still has to work for it,” Pimentel told reporters in a Senate press briefing.
He said Cayetano still needs to convince House members to vote for him on July 22 when the regular session of the 18th Congress opens.
“Sa July 22, para hindi siya magulat, he has to make sure kumbinsido na ang lahat. Majority or plurality to vote for him as House speaker,” he said.
Pimentel added that among the lawmakers that Cayetano needs to convince are the 85 members of the ruling party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
Pimentel is the current president of the ruling party while President Duterte serves as its chairman.
The PDP-Laban earlier fielded Velasco as its bet for speakership.
According to Pimentel, PDP-Laban representatives are set to meet with Cayetano on Thursday night to discuss matters, including committee chairmanships.
Pimentel said the meeting is important for Cayetano to get the party’s support.
Cayetano is a member of the Nacionalista party.
“He cannot sit as House Speaker without the support of the PDP-Laban,” Pimentel said.
The lawmaker also reiterated they are abiding with the president’s decision to endorse a term-sharing set-up between Cayetano and Velasco, with the former serving first in 15 months to be succeeded by the latter in the remaining 21 months of the term.
They initially wanted Velasco to serve first before Cayetano.
Meanwhile, Pimentel said it was theoretically possible for members of the House of Representatives not to heed the president’s endorsement of Cayetano as speaker when they vote for their leader on July 22.
This was his comment on Davao City Representative Paolo Duterte’s hint that solons might launch a coup and vote for their personal choice.
“Basta theoretically, everything is possible kasi basta’t collegial body ganun naman talaga eh,” he said. (with details from Nel Maribojoc)
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